Window portion with an adjusted rate of wear

Abstract

A polishing pad includes a polishing layer, and the transparent window portion of the polishing layer having dispersed particles to increase the rate at which the window portion wears away during a polishing operation, and to avoid forming a lump in the polishing layer.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a polishing pad having a transparent window portion in a polishing layer.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

[0003] A polishing operation is performed on a semiconductor wafer to remove excess material, and to provide the wafer with a smooth, planar polished surface. To attain the smooth, planar polished surface, the polishing layer of the polishing pad provides a uniform polishing action. During the polishing operation, polishing pressure is exerted on the window portion and on the remainder of the polishing layer.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,796 discloses a known polishing pad having a transparent window portion installed in a polishing layer of the polishing pad. It has been found that the window portion was fabricated with materials that have an inherent resistance to wear. Other materials in a remainder of the polishing layer have a lower resistance to wear. Thus, as a polishing layer slowly wears away as it is being used to polish a semiconductor wafer, the transparent window portion wears away more slowly, at a lower rate of wear. As a result, the transparent window portion becomes a lump on the polishing layer, the lump having a height greater than the height of the remainder of the polishing layer.

[0005] The window portion, being a lump on the polishing layer, is pressed inward by the polishing pressure to become flush with the polishing surface. However, the inwardly pressed window portion polishes with a different polishing action than that of the remainder of the polishing layer. For example, the window portion, as a lump, concentrates polishing force against the semiconductor wafer, which produces a nonuniform polishing action. Consequently, the nonuniform polishing action produces defects in the smooth, planar polished surface on the semiconductor wafer.

[0006] A need exists for a polishing pad having a polishing layer with a transparent window portion, which provides a uniform polishing action as the polishing layer undergoes wear during a polishing operation.

[0007] Further a need exists for a transparent window portion that avoids becoming a lump on a worn polishing layer of a polishing pad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to the invention, a transparent window portion of a polishing layer is provided with dispersed particles of at least one, or more than one, substance dispersed throughout the window portion to increase the rate at which the window portion wears away during a polishing operation and to avoid forming a lump in the polishing layer.

[0009] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following detailed description.

[0011] A semiconductor wafer having integrated circuits fabricated thereon must be polished to provide a very smooth and flat wafer surface which in some cases may vary from a given plane by as little as a fraction of a micron. Such polishing is usually accomplished in a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) operation that utilizes a chemically active slurry that is buffed against the wafer surface by a polishing pad. Methods have been developed for determining when the wafer has been polished to a desired endpoint. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,941, one such method includes light generated by a laser to measure a wafer dimension.

[0012] According to a known polishing pad, the surface of the transparent window portion is flush with the polishing surface of the polishing pad. The window portion and the polishing surface are in contact with the workpiece, i.e. semiconductor wafer, being polished.

[0013] When the window portion has a wear rate that is lower (i.e., it wears slower) than that of the polishing surface surrounding it, the polishing layer wears away at a rate that is faster than the rate at which the window portion wears away. The height of the window portion becomes greater than the height of the polishing layer. The performance of the polishing pad is jeopardized.

[0014] A polishing operation is performed on a semiconductor wafer to remove excess material, and to provide the wafer with a smooth, planar polished surface. To attain the smooth, planar polished surface, the polishing layer of the polishing pad provides a uniform polishing action. During the polishing operation, polishing pressure is exerted on the window portion and on the remainder of the polishing layer. The window portion, being a lump on the polishing layer, is pressed inward by the polishing pressure to become flush with the polishing surface. However, the inwardly pressed window portion polishes with a different polishing action than that of the remainder of the polishing layer. For example, the window portion, as a lump, concentrates polishing force against the semiconductor wafer, which produces a non-uniform polishing action.

[0015] Examples of such pads include urethane impregnated polyester felts, microporous urethane pads of the type sold as Politex® by Rodel, Inc. of Newark, Del., and filled and/or blown composite urethanes such as IC-series and MH-series polishing pads also manufactured by Rodel, Inc. of Newark, Del. Window portions used in these types of urethane pads typically comprise urethane with the standard additives in the Politex® and IC- and MH-series.

[0016] A known polymeric pad has a matrix that comprises materials selected from polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, polyesters, polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinylidene fluorides, polyether sulfones, polystyrenes, and polyethylenes, polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, and polyesters with higher wear rates than the currently used polyurethanes.

[0017] A known polymeric matrix that can be used according to the invention comprises materials selected from polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, polyesters, polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinylidene fluorides, polyether sulfones, polystyrenes, polyethylenes, FEP, Teflon AF®, and the like. Other materials are polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, polyesters and polyurethanes. Further examples include polymethylmethacrylate sheets (e.g., Plexiglas® sold by Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, Pa.) and polycarbonate plastic sheets (e.g., Lexan® sold by General Electric). Casting or extruding the polymer and then curing the polymer to the desired size and thickness can make the window portions.

[0018] The polishing pad comprises a polymeric matrix formed from urethanes, melamines, polyesters, polysulfones, polyvinyl acetates, fluorinated hydrocarbons, and the like, and mixtures, copolymers and grafts thereof. The polymeric matrix comprises a urethane polymer. The urethane polymer is advantageously formed from a polyether-based liquid urethane, such as the Adiprene™ line of products that are commercially available from Uniroyal Chemical Co., Inc. of Middlebury, Conn. For example, a liquid urethane contains about 9 to about 9.3% by weight free isocyanate. Other isocyanate bearing products and prepolymers may also be used. The liquid urethane is advantageously one which reacts with a polyfunctional amine, diamine, triamine or polyfunctional hydroxyl compound or mixed functionality compounds such as hydroxyl/amines dwelling in urethane/urea crosslinked networks to permit the formation of urea links and a cured/crosslinked polymer network. The liquid urethane is reacted with 4,4′-methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline) (“MOCA”), which is commercially available as the product CURENE® 442, from Anderson Development Co. of Adrian, Mich.

[0019] Forming a window portion comprising a phase separated or biphasic system is accomplished by blending two immiscible polymers until their domain size will not scatter light and then polymerizing them in the shape of a window portion. The immiscible polymer is expected to provide a window portion with particulates of immiscible polymer providing an increased WR. Pairs of immiscible polymers can include, but are not limited to, polyurea/polyurethane, nitrocellulose/acrylic and the like.

[0020] If the wear rate (WR) of the transparent window portion is equal to or greater than the WR of the polishing surface, then the window portion will be expected to remain flush with the polishing surface during a polishing operation. Wear rate is a measure of how quickly the surface of the window portion surface or polishing surface is removed, or worn away, during chemical-mechanical polishing. Abrasion resistance, or resistance to abrasion, is a measure of how the surface of the window portion or of the polishing surface avoids being removed or worn away by abrasion during chemical-mechanical polishing. The invention provides a transparent window portion that has a higher wear rate and lower abrasion resistance than window portions fabricated with materials having inherently high resistance to wear, as in previous polishing pads. Advantageously, the WRwindow portion is equal to or at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100, or 200% greater than WRpol surface. More advantageously, the WRwindow portion is 5, 10, 15, 20, to 25% greater than WRpol surface.

[0021] The invention provides a transparent window portion comprised of a polymeric matrix further comprising a discontinuity that increases the wear rate (or decreases the abrasion resistance) of the window portion compared with the polymeric matrix without the discontinuity.

[0022] Discontinuity, as used herein, is intended to mean that the polymeric matrix has been disrupted by the presence of a foreign material. A desired discontinuity is one that increases the WR of the polymeric matrix. The amount of the disruption or discontinuity depends on the desired WR of the polymeric matrix. Discontinuities can be obtained by the forming the polymeric matrix in the presence of solid particles, fluids, gases, or an immiscible polymer system. The polymeric matrixes are prepared so that the discontinuities do not mechanically reinforce the matrix or are so large as to cause scattering of an incident optical beam that prohibits optical end-point detection. Additives can include solid particles (e.g., silica, titania, alumina, ceria, or plastic particles). Advantageously the additives are plastic particles. Nanometer sized particles, are particles of one nanometer and less in size, that are of sufficiently low surface area to avoid scattering of incident light. Dispersal of the particles in the window portion, rather than agglomeration of the particles, further avoids scattering of incident light.

[0023] The particles (e.g., plastic particles) can range in diameter from 1 nm to 200 μm, advantageously from 1 to 50 μm, more advantageously from 10-20 μm. The actual shape of the plastic particles is not limited. It can include chips, squares, discs, pucks, donuts, spheres, cubes, irregular shapes, etc. Advantageously, from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to 10% of the weight of the window portion is from the solid particles.

[0024] The plastic comprising the particles is chosen depending on the polymeric matrix of the window portion. The plastic is chosen such that its presence has little or no effect on the index of refraction of the window portion. Advantageously the plastic has about the same index of refraction as the polymeric matrix of the window portion. Advantageously the plastic is the same as the polymeric matrix of the window portion. Thus, the plastic can be selected from polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, polyesters, polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinylidene fluorides, polyether sulfones, polystyrenes, and polyethylenes. Advantageously, the plastic is selected from polyurethanes, acrylics, polycarbonates, nylons, and polyesters. More advantageously, the plastic is polyurethane.

[0025] Fluids in the form of a polymeric emulsion are expected to create a discontinuity. By forming the window portion in the presence of a fluid, a polymeric matrix can be obtained that encapsulates the fluid in individual, spaced cells, including bubbles. This is expected to increase the WR of the window portion. Advantageously, from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to 10% of the weight of the window portion is from the fluid. For example, such fluids or liquids include hydrocarbon oils such as mineral oil.

[0026] Another discontinuity can be the presence of a gas in the polymeric matrix. By forming the window portion in the presence of a gas type fluid, a polymeric matrix can be obtained that encapsulates the fluid in individual, spaced cells, including bubbles. Advantageously, from 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 to 99% of the volume of the window portion is a gas (e.g., air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen). For example, an aerogel is a silica aerogel. The silica aerogels are prepared from silicon alkoxides, advantageously tetramethyl orthosilicate or tetraethyl orthosilicate.

[0027] The transparent window portion of the present invention should be transparent to light having a wavelength within the range of 190 to 3500 nanometers, depending on the application and optical device being used to monitor the polishing process. The transparent window portion should also be transparent to allow for optical end-point detection of the device being polished.

[0028] Embodiments of the invention having been disclosed, other embodiments and modifications of the invention are intended to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A polishing pad for polishing semiconductor wafers, comprising: a polishing layer having a transparent window portion; the transparent window portion being constructed of a wear resisting material with an inherent resistance to wear when subjected to abrasion during a polishing operation; the rate at which the window portion wears away during the polishing operation being increased to avoid forming a lump in the polishing layer, by having dispersed particles of at least one, or more than one, substance dispersed throughout the window portion; and the particles providing discontinuities in the wear resisting material, which are susceptible to wear when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation.

2. The polishing pad as recited in claim 1 wherein, the dispersed particles are pieces of solid matter having a lower resistance to wear than that of the wear resisting material.

3. The polishing pad as recited in claim 1 wherein, the dispersed particles are pieces of solid matter that are susceptible to being snagged and worn away when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation.

4. The polishing pad as recited in claim 1 wherein, the dispersed particles are cells of entrapped fluid within the wear resisting material; and the cells are susceptible to being snagged and worn away when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation.

5. The polishing pad as recited in claim 4 wherein, the entrapped fluid is air.

6. The polishing pad as recited in claim 4 wherein, the entrapped fluid is deionized water.

7. The polishing pad as recited in claim 4 wherein, the cells are in the form of bubbles containing the entrapped fluid.

8. The polishing pad as recited in claim 1 wherein, the wear rate of the window portion is adjusted to be greater than that of the remainder of the polishing layer, which reduces a force exerted normal to the window portion as the window portion wears away during the polishing operation.

9. The polishing pad as recited in claim 1 wherein, the wear rate of the window portion is adjusted to be substantially equal to that of the remainder of the polishing layer, which evenly distributes a force exerted normal to the polishing layer during the polishing operation.

10. A method of polishing a semiconductor wafer with a polishing pad having a polishing layer with a transparent window portion, comprising the steps of: providing dispersed particles of at least one, or more than one, substance dispersed throughout the window portion to increase the rate at which the window portion wears away during a polishing operation and to avoid forming a lump in the polishing layer, and polishing the semiconductor wafer with the polishing layer having the transparent window portion, and the particles providing discontinuities in the wear resisting material, which are susceptible to wear when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation, without the window portion forming a lump in the polishing layer.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, the step of providing the dispersed particles, further includes the step of: providing the dispersed particles as pieces of solid matter having a lower resistance to wear than that of the wear resisting material.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, the step of providing the dispersed particles, further includes the step of: providing the dispersed particles as pieces of solid matter that are susceptible to being snagged and worn away when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, the step of providing the dispersed particles, further includes the step of: providing the dispersed particles as cells of entrapped fluid; and the nanometer sized cells are susceptible to being snagged and worn away when subjected to abrasion during the polishing operation.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, the step of providing the dispersed particles, further includes the step of: providing the dispersed particles as cells of entrapped air.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, the step of providing the dispersed particles, further includes the step of: providing the dispersed particles as cells of deionized water.

16. A method of making a window portion of a polishing pad, comprising the steps of: providing a transparent window portion of a polishing layer with dispersed particles of at least one, or more than one, substance to increase the rate at which the window portion wears away during a polishing operation and to avoid forming a lump in the polishing layer.

17. A polishing pad useful for polishing integrated circuit wafers, comprising: a polishing surface and a transparent window portion disposed in an opening in the polishing surface, wherein the window portion has a wear rate equal to or greater than that of the polishing surface.

18. A pad according to claim 17, wherein the window portion is comprised of a polyurethane having a wear rate of from 5 to 25% greater than the wear rate of the polishing surface.

19. A pad according to claim 17, wherein the window portion is comprised of polymethylmethacrylate or polycarbonate.

20. A pad according to claim 17, wherein the window portion comprises a discontinuity selected from solid particles, fluids and gases.

21. A pad according to claim 17, wherein the window portion comprises a polyurethane and a discontinuity selected from solid particles, fluids and gases.

22. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the discontinuity is a plastic particle.

23. A pad according to claim 22, wherein the diameter of the particle is from 10-20 μm.

24. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the window portion comprises from 1 to 10% by weight of the particles.

25. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the window portion comprises polyurethane and the plastic particle is polyurethane.

26. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the discontinuity is a fluid.

27. A pad according to claim 26, wherein the fluid comprises from 1 to 10% by weight of the window portion.

28. A pad according to claim 26, wherein the fluid is a hydrocarbon oil.

27. A pad according to claim 26, wherein the fluid is mineral oil.

27. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the discontinuity is a gas.

28. A pad according to claim 27, wherein the gas is carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or air and the gas comprises 85 to 99% of the volume of the window portion.

29. A pad according to claim 17, wherein the transparent window portion comprises: a silica aerogel.

30. A pad according to claim 29, wherein the silica aerogel is prepared from tetramethyl orthosilicate or tetraethyl orthosilicate.

31. A pad according to claim 21, wherein the discontinuity is an immiscible polymer system.

32. A pad according to claim 31, wherein the immiscible polymer system is polyurea/polyurethane or nitrocellulose/acrylic.