Claims
- 1. A method for improving planarization of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:(a) placing a semiconductor wafer onto a polishing pad of a mechanical abrading machine, wherein said semiconductor wafer includes a dielectric layer, wherein said semiconductor wafer and said polishing pad are located within a chamber; (b) forming a subatmospheric pressure within said chamber; (c) weakening a plurality of chemical bonds of said dielectric layer of said semiconductor wafer through an action of frictionally moving said dielectric layer against a dry surface of said polishing pad, wherein said weakening said plurality of chemical bonds results in material of said dielectric layer becoming amenable for chemical attack; and (d) during said (c), removing said material of said dielectric layer from said chamber utilizing a reactive gas.
- 2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:(e) exposing said dielectric layer to a hydrogen peroxide.
- 3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:(e) generating said reactive gas utilizing microwaves.
- 4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said reactive gas comprises fluorine particle species.
- 5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said subatmospheric pressure is equal to a pressure range of about 0.1 to 10 torr.
- 6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:(e) generating said reactive gas utilizing radio frequency energy.
- 7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:(e) exposing said dielectric layer to a polymerizing fluorocarbon in order to coat a surface of said dielectric layer with a polymer.
- 8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said polymerizing fluorocarbon comprises CHF3+CF4.
- 9. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:(e) generating said reactive gas utilizing a fluorine component gas.
- 10. The method as described in claim 9 wherein said fluorine component gas comprises NF3.
- 11. The method as described in claim 10 wherein said fluorine component gas comprises CF4.
- 12. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said polishing pad embedded with abrasive particles.
- 13. The method as described in claim 12 wherein said polishing pad embedded with silicon dioxide abrasive particles.
- 14. The method as described in claim 12 wherein said polishing pad embedded with cerium oxide abrasive particles.
- 15. The method as described in claim 12 Wherein said polishing pad embedded with zirconium oxide abrasive particles.
- 16. A method for planarizing a layer of material of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:(a) mechanically polishing said layer of material of said semiconductor wafer without utilizing a liquid to provide a mechanically polished surface of said layer of material having improved planarity; and (b) during said mechanically polishing said layer of material of said semiconductor wafer without utilizing said liquid, subjecting said mechanically polished surface of said layer of material to a reactive gas to further facilitate planarization of said layer of material.
- 17. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said (b) occurs within a subatmospheric pressure.
- 18. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:(c) generating said reactive gas utilizing a fluorine component gas.
- 19. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:(c) generating said reactive gas utilizing microwaves.
- 20. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:(c) generating said reactive gas utilizing radio frequency energy.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/233,640 filed on Jan. 19, 1999 now 6,057,245 which is hereby incorporated by reference to this specification.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Patent Abstract of Japan: vol. 017, No. 538 (e-1440) Sep. 28, 1993 and JP 05 152254 A (NEC Corp), Jun. 18, 1993. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/233640 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/516333 |
|
US |