Semi-conductor wafer fabrication
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- depositing a detection layer of material over a layer of feature material;
forming features in said feature material layer and said detection layer;
depositing a layer of dielectric over the wafer;
applying a CMP process to said wafer until said dielectric layer is planarized;
applying a plasma etching process to said wafer until said detection layer is removed to a level where said features are exposed; and
monitoring an optical signal during said plasma etching process, said optical signal being generated from the application of said plasma etching process to said detection aver.
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Abstract
A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer includes applying a CMP process to a layer of dielectric material to planarize the wafer surface, and applying a plasma etching process to the wafer surface until a signal is generated from a detection layer that indicates that said detection layer has been removed from underlying features disposed on the water.
42 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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depositing a detection layer of material over a layer of feature material;
forming features in said feature material layer and said detection layer;
depositing a layer of dielectric over the wafer;
applying a CMP process to said wafer until said dielectric layer is planarized;
applying a plasma etching process to said wafer until said detection layer is removed to a level where said features are exposed; and
monitoring an optical signal during said plasma etching process, said optical signal being generated from the application of said plasma etching process to said detection aver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a plurality of features formed in a layer of feature material on a substrate, each of the features having an upper surface;
a layer of detection material capping each of said upper surfaces of said features; and
a layer of dielectric deposited onto said substrate and said detection layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated circuit, comprising:
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a plurality of features separated by trenches, each said features having a top surface;
a layer of dielectric deposited in said trenches and substantially planar with said top surfaces of said feature, said planar nature of said dielectric layer and said top surfaces of said feature being achieved by a planarization process that includes plasma etching a layer of detection material capping said feature until it is determined that said detection layer has been removed from the feature. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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applying a CMP process to a layer of dielectric material at least until said dielectric layer is approximately planar; and
applying a plasma etching process to a detection layer of material until a signal is generated from said plasma etching process that indicates that said detection layer has been removed from underlying features. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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- 21. A method of removing dielectric material from a semiconductor wafer that has been previously planarized using a CMP process, comprising the step of applying a plasma etching process to a detection layer of material until an identifiable signal is generated from said plasma etching process that indicates that said detection layer has been substantially removed from underlying features disposed on the wafer.
Specification