Method for characterizing the planarizing properties of an expendable material combination in a chemical-mechanical polishing process; simulation technique; and polishing technique
US6682398B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jan 27, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24B37/042
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method for characterizing planarizing properties of a selected expendable material combination in a chemical-mechanical polishing process includes steps of: providing a combination of expendable materials including a softcloth and a polishing agent; providing test substrates with test patterns with different feature densities; performing a polishing process for each of the test substrates while the respective combination of the values for the processing parameters (pressure and velocity) is maintained until saturation is achieved; determining a characteristic quantity for the global grade level from the test substrates that have been polished; and determining expendable material parameters that characterize the planarizing properties for the selected expendable material combination from a functional relationship between the characteristic quantity for the global grade level to a quotient of the relative velocity and the pressure for each one of the test substrates.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.