Process for polishing and analyzing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate
First Claim
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1. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
- forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface and is an uppermost layer over the substrate;
polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface; and
analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein;
a radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface at a first angle relative to the second exposed surface;
the layer is opaque to the radiation beam;
at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam;
the reflected beam is at a second angle relative to the second exposed surface, wherein the second angle is within five degrees of a supplementary angle of the first angle;
a detector analyzes the reflected beam to determine a detected intensity; and
the step of polishing is repeated if the detected intensity is lower than a threshold intensity.
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Abstract
A layer over a patterned semiconductor is polished and analyzed to determine a polishing endpoint. The analysis may be performed using reflected radiation beams or by a radiation scattering analyzer. The analysis may be performed on virtually any layer using a radiation source. The analysis may be performed with a liquid, such as an aqueous slurry, contacting the substrate. The polishing and analysis may be integrated such that both steps are performed on the same polisher.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface and is an uppermost layer over the substrate; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface; and analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein; a radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface at a first angle relative to the second exposed surface; the layer is opaque to the radiation beam; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam; the reflected beam is at a second angle relative to the second exposed surface, wherein the second angle is within five degrees of a supplementary angle of the first angle; a detector analyzes the reflected beam to determine a detected intensity; and the step of polishing is repeated if the detected intensity is lower than a threshold intensity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface and an edge; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface; and analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein; a radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam; if the edge is still present, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam; a detector determines whether the secondary reflected beam is present; and the step of polishing is repeated if the detector determines that the secondary reflected beam is present. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface having a first topography; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface having a second topography; and analyzing the second exposed surface with a radiation beam to detect topography changes along the second exposed surface, wherein the step of polishing is repeated if a topography change along the second exposed surface is detected, wherein; the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam; the radiation beam and primary reflected beam lie along a plane; if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam; and as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface having a first topography with an edge; analyzing the first topography with a radiation beam to form a first topographic output, wherein; the radiation beam is directed towards the first exposed surface; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the first exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam of the first topography; the radiation beam and primary reflected of the first topography lie along a plane; at least a portion of the primary reflected beam of the first topography is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam; and as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface having a second topography; analyzing the second topography with a radiation beam to form a second topographic output, wherein; the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam of the second topography; the radiation beam and primary reflected beam of the second topography lie along a plane; if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam of the second topography is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam of the second topography; and as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam of the second topography is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane; and comparing the first and second topographic outputs, wherein the step of polishing is repeated if the second topographic output lies within a tolerance the first topographic output. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface with a slurry having slurry particles; analyzing the second exposed surface with a radiation beam, wherein; the radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a primary reflected beam; the radiation beam and primary reflected beam lie along a plane; if an edge is present within the second exposed surface, at least a portion of the primary reflected beam is reflected away from the edge to form a secondary reflected beam; as seen by a top view of the substrate, the secondary reflected beam is at an angle that is in a range of 80-100 degrees from the plane; and this step is performed prior to removing the slurry particles and drying the substrate and after the step of polishing; and drying the substrate after the step of analyzing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface; and analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein; a spectral incident radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the spectral incident radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam; a detector analyzes the reflected beam to whether reflected beam is polarized; and the step of polishing is repeated if the reflected beam is polarized. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A process for polishing a layer over a patterned semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:
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forming the layer over the patterned semiconductor substrate, wherein the layer has a first exposed surface; polishing the layer to form a second exposed surface; and analyzing the second exposed surface, wherein; a spectral incident radiation beam is directed towards the second exposed surface; at least a portion of the spectral incident radiation beam is reflected away from the second exposed surface to form a reflected beam; a detector analyzes the reflected beam to whether the reflected beam is spectral; and the step of polishing is repeated if the reflected beam is not spectral. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification