METHOD OF FORMING A PLANAR SURFACE FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE STRUCTURE, AND RELATED METHODS OF FORMING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE STRUCTURE

• US 20140162455A1
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Carswell, Andrew Dennis Watson, Kondoju, Siddartha, Lu, Jin, Ramakrishnan, Suresh, Sakai, Kozaburo, Varghese, Sony, Zagrebelny, Andrey V., Huang, Wayne Hai-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 9,153,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/692
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30625 With simultaneous mechanical treatment, e.g. mechanico-chemical polishing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31053 involving a dielectric removal step
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31058 of organic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32125 by simultaneously passing an electrical current, i.e. electrochemical mechanical polishing, e.g. ECMP

Abstract

A method of forming a planar surface for a semiconductor device structure. The method comprises forming a particle film comprising a plurality of discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure. The semiconductor device structure is subjected to at least one chemical-mechanical polishing process after forming the particle film on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure. Methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are also described.

Claims

1. A method of forming a planar surface for a semiconductor device structure, comprising:

forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure; and

subjecting the semiconductor device structure to at least one chemical-mechanical polishing process after forming the particle film on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming the discrete particles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure through at least one of covalent interactions and non-covalent interactions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the discrete particles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure through at least one of covalent interactions and non-covalent interactions comprises attaching the discrete particles to the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure through at least one of electrostatic interactions, coordinative bonding, hydrogen bonding, π

-π

stacking interactions, and van der Waals forces.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the discrete particles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure through at least one of covalent interactions and non-covalent interactions comprises modifying at least one of the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure and surfaces of the discrete particles to enhance the at least one of covalent interactions and non-covalent interactions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming non-abrasive particles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forming non-abrasive particles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure comprises forming each of the non-abrasive particles to include a non-abrasive surface comprising a polymer material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming each of the non-abrasive particles to include a non-abrasive surface comprising a polymer material comprises forming each of the non-abrasive particles as a composite particle comprising the polymer material encapsulating another material.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming discrete nanoparticles on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming at least one particle of the discrete particles to include at least one of a different particle size, a different particle shape, and a different material type than at least one other particle of the discrete particles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming the particle film to substantially conform to and extend continuously across the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming the particle film to be non-conformal and discontinuous across the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a particle film comprising discrete particles on a non-planar surface of a semiconductor device structure comprises forming the particle film on the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure without annealing the discrete particles.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to at least one chemical mechanical polishing process comprises exposing the semiconductor device structure to at least one chemical-mechanical polishing slurry formulated to enhance adhesion strength between the particle film and the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein subjecting the semiconductor device structure to at least one chemical-mechanical polishing process further comprises exposing the semiconductor device structure to at least one material formulated to decrease the adhesion strength between the particle film and the non-planar surface of the semiconductor device structure.

15. A method of forming a semiconductor device structure, comprising:

forming a material having a non-planar topography over a substrate;

forming a film comprising a plurality of discrete particles on exposed surfaces of the material; and

removing at least a portion of the film and at least a portion of the material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming a material having a non-planar topography over a substrate comprises forming the material to comprise at least one elevated region and at least one recessed region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the material to comprise at least one elevated region and at least one recessed region comprises forming the at least one recessed region to have a width of greater than or equal to about 0.5 micrometer.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein forming a film comprising a plurality of discrete particles on exposed surfaces of the material comprises attaching the plurality of discrete particles to the exposed surfaces of the material through at least one of covalent interactions and non-covalent interactions, adjacent particles of the plurality of discrete particles in contact with one another.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein forming a film comprising a plurality of discrete particles on exposed surfaces of the material comprises forming the film on the exposed surfaces of the material using at least one of a spin-coating process, a spray-coating process, an immersion-coating process, a vapor-coating process, and a soaking process.

20. A method of forming a semiconductor device structure, comprising:

forming at least one structure over a substrate;

forming a material over the at least one structure and the substrate, the material substantially conforming to a topography of the at least one structure and the substrate;

forming a particle film on the material; and

subjecting the particle film and the material to a chemical-mechanical polishing process to form a planar surface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming a particle film on the material comprises attaching a plurality of discrete particles at least to a surface of a recessed region of the material, adjacent particles of the plurality of discrete particles in substantial contact with one another.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein attaching a plurality of discrete particles at least to a surface of a recessed region of the material comprises attaching the plurality of discrete particles to at least the surface of the recessed region of the material without using a binder material.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein forming a particle film on the material comprises attaching a plurality of discrete particles to exposed surfaces of the material, a plurality of interstitial spaces located between portions of the plurality of discrete particles and the exposed surfaces of the material.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the planar surface comprises a surface of the at least one structure and a surface of a remaining portion of the material.