Endpoint detection method and apparatus which utilize a chelating agent to detect a polishing endpoint
First Claim
1. A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer having a polishing endpoint layer that includes a ligand of a chelating agent, comprising the steps of:
- polishing a first side of said wafer in order to remove said ligand from said wafer;
determining that said chelating agent has bound said ligand due to said polishing step removing said ligand of said polishing endpoint layer; and
terminating said polishing step in response to determining that said chelating agent has bound said ligand.
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Abstract
A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer having a polishing endpoint layer that includes a ligand is disclosed. One step of the method includes polishing a first side of the wafer in order to remove the ligand from the wafer. Another step of the method includes determining that a chelating agent has bound the ligand due to the polishing step removing the ligand of the polishing endpoint layer. The method also includes the step of terminating the polishing step in response to determining that the chelating agent has bound the ligand. A polishing system is also disclosed which detects a polishing endpoint based upon a chelating agent binding a ligand of a polishing endpoint layer of a semiconductor device.
119 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer having a polishing endpoint layer that includes a ligand of a chelating agent, comprising the steps of:
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polishing a first side of said wafer in order to remove said ligand from said wafer; determining that said chelating agent has bound said ligand due to said polishing step removing said ligand of said polishing endpoint layer; and terminating said polishing step in response to determining that said chelating agent has bound said ligand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of planarizing a semiconductor wafer down to a distance from a semiconductor substrate of said wafer, comprising the steps of:
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forming in said wafer a ligand that is at said distance from said substrate of said wafer; polishing a first side of said wafer in order to remove said ligand from said wafer; determining that a chelating agent had bound said ligand due to said polishing step removing said ligand of said polishing endpoint layer; and terminating said polishing step in response to determining that said chelating agent has bound said ligand. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification