Composition and slurry useful for metal CMP

• US 6,068,787 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (Entegris Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cabot Corporation
• Inventors: Streinz, Christopher C., Grumbine, Steven K., Mueller, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMED, SHAMIM
• Application Number:
  US08/891,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 216/88, 216/89, 252/79.1, 438/692.693
• US Class Current: 252/79.1
• CPC Class Codes: C09G 1/02 containing abrasives or grinding agents abrasives as such C09K3/14; polishing of semi-conductors H01L
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 3/00 Brightening metals by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3212 by chemical mechanical polishing [CMP]

Abstract

A chemical mechanical polishing precursor comprising at least one catalyst having multiple oxidation states, and at least one stabilizer, the composition being useful when admixed with an oxidizing agent prior to use to remove metal layers from a substrate.

Claims

1. A chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor comprising the product of the mixture of at least one catalyst having multiple oxidation states and at least one stabilizer.

2. The chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is an iron catalyst selected from the group consisting of inorganic iron compounds and organic iron compounds having multiple oxidation states.

3. The chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 2 wherein the iron catalyst is from about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent ferric nitrate.

4. The chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 1 wherein the stabilizer is an organic acid, an inorganic acid, a nitrile, or mixtures thereof.

5. The chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 4 wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group phosphoric acid, phthalic acid, citric acid, malonic acid, phosphonic acid, oxalic acid, adipic acid, benzonitrile, or mixtures thereof.

6. The chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 5 wherein the stabilizer is from about 2 equivalents per catalyst to about 15 equivalents per catalyst of malonic acid.

7. A chemical mechanical polishing slurry precursor including the chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor of claim 1 and at least one abrasive.

8. The chemical mechanical polishing slurry precursor of claim 7 wherein the abrasive is at least one metal oxide abrasive selected from the group including alumina, ceria, germania, silica, titania, zirconia, or mixtures thereof.

9. The chemical mechanical polishing slurry precursor of claim 6 wherein the metal oxide abrasive is from about 1.0 to about 20.0 weight percent silica.

10. A chemical mechanical polishing slurry precursor comprising an aqueous solution of from about 3.0 to about 7.0 weight percent silica, and the product of the admixture of from about 0.01 to about 0.05 weight percent ferric nitrate and from about 2 equivalents per catalyst to about 15 equivalents per catalyst of malonic acid.

11. A method for polishing a substrate including at least one metal layer comprising the steps of:

(a) admixing at least one catalyst having multiple oxidation states, at least one stabilizer, and deionized water to give a chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor;

(b) admixing the chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor with an oxidizing agent to give a chemical mechanical polishing composition;

(c) applying the chemical mechanical polishing composition to the substrate; and

(d) removing at least a portion of the metal layer from the substrate by bringing a pad into contact with the substrate and moving the pad in relation to the substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the substrate includes a tungsten containing metal layer and wherein at least a portion of the tungsten layer is removed in step (d).

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the stabilizer is an organic acid, an inorganic acid, a nitrile, or mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the stabilizer malonic acid.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the oxidizing agent is from about 0.5 to about 10.0 weight percent hydrogen peroxide.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the catalyst is from about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent ferric nitrate.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor further comprises at least one metal oxide abrasive.

18. A method for polishing a substrate including a tungsten containing metal layer comprising the steps of:

(a) admixing from about 3.0 to about 7.0 weight percent silica, from about 0.01 to about 0.05 weight percent ferric nitrate and from about 2 equivalents per catalyst to about 15 equivalents per catalyst of malonic acid to give a chemical mechanical polishing slurry precursor;

(b) admixing the chemical mechanical polishing composition precursor with hydrogen peroxide to give a chemical mechanical polishing slurry including from about 0.5 to about 10.0 weight percent hydrogen peroxide;

(c) applying the chemical mechanical polishing slurry to the substrate; and

(d) removing at least a portion of the tungsten metal layer from the substrate by bringing a pad into contact with the substrate and moving the pad in relation to the substrate.