US5527423A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chemical mechanical polishing slurry for metal layers
Assignee: CMC Materials LLC
•
Filing: 1994-10-06
•
Granted: 1996-06-18
•
Expires: 2014-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A slurry for use in chemical-mechanical polishing of a metal layer comprising high purity fine metal oxide particles uniformly dispersed in a stable aqueous medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Matthew Neville
- 👤 David J. Fluck
- 👤 Cheng-Hung Hung
- 👤 Michael A. Lucarelli
- 👤 Debra L. Scherber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:45
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24D; B24D3/00; C; C23; C23F; C23F3/00; C09; C09G; C09G1/00; C09G1/02; C09K; C09K3/00; C09K3/14; C09K3/1436; C09K3/1454; C09K3/1463; H; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; H10P52/40; H10P52/403
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing a metal layer of a substrate, the method which comprises the steps of: a) providing a chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles, wherein said slurry is stable; and b) chemical mechanical polishing a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate with said slurry.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for chemical-mechanical polishing a metal layer of a substrate, the method which comprises the steps of: a) providing a chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles, wherein said slurry is stable; and b) chemical mechanical polishing a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate with said slurry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said metal layer is selected from the group consisting of: tungsten, aluminum, copper, titanium, and alloys thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said metal layer is tungsten.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said tungsten layer further comprising at least one underlayer selected from the group consisting of: titanium, titanium nitride and titanium tungsten and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said particles are present in a range between about 0.5% and 55% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area less than about 70 m 2 /g and are present in said slurry in a range less than about 7% by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area ranging between about 70 m 2 /g to about 170 m 2 /g and are present within said slurry in a range less than about 12% by weight.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
18 words
The method of claims 6 or 7 wherein said alumina is a precipitated alumina or a fumed alumina.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said particles have a maximum zeta potential greater than about ±10 millivolts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said slurry further comprises an oxidizing component.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said oxidizing component is an oxidizing metal salt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said oxidizing component is an oxidizing metal complex.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said oxidizing component is selected from the group consisting of: iron salts, aluminum salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, ammonium salts, quaternary ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates, persulfates and mixtures thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said slurry further comprises a surfactant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: polyalkyl siloxanes, polyaryl siloxanes, polyoxyalkylene ethers, and mixtures and copolymers thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a metal layer comprising: high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles, wherein said slurry is colloidally stable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
77 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a metal layer comprising: high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles, wherein said slurry is colloidally stable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The slurry of claim 1 wherein said particles are present in a range between about 0.5% and 55% by weight.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The slurry of claim 1 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area less than about 70 m 2 /g and are present in said slurry in a range less than about 7% by weight.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
The slurry of claim 1 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area ranging between about 70 m 2 /g to about 170 m 2 /g and are present within said slurry in a range less than about 12% by weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The slurry of claims 19 or 20 wherein said alumina is a precipitated alumina or a fumed alumina.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The slurry of claim 1 wherein said particles have a maximum zeta potential greater than about ±10 millivolts.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
The slurry of claim 1 wherein said slurry further comprises a surfactant.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 23 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 23 wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: polyalkyl siloxanes, polyaryl siloxanes, polyoxyalkylene ethers, and mixtures and copolymers thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
81 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a metal layer comprising high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles and an oxidizing component, wherein said slurry is colloidally stable.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
81 words
A chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a metal layer comprising high purity, alumina particles uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium having a surface area ranging from about 40 m 2 /g to about 430 m 2 /g, an aggregate size distribution less than about 1.0 micron, a mean aggregate diameter less than about 0.4 micron and a force sufficient to repel and overcome the van der Waals forces between the particles and an oxidizing component, wherein said slurry is colloidally stable.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said particles are present in a range between about 0.5% and 55% by weight.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area less than about 70 m 2 /g and are present in said slurry in a range less than about 7% by weight.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said alumina particles have a surface area ranging between about 70 m 2 /g to about 170 m 2 /g and are present within said slurry in a range less than about 12% by weight.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The slurry of claims 28 or 29 wherein said alumina is a precipitated alumina or a fumed alumina.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said particles have a maximum zeta potential greater than about ±10 millivolts.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said oxidizing component is an oxidizing metal salt.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said oxidizing component is an oxidizing metal complex.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
39 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said oxidizing component is selected from the group consisting of: iron salts, aluminum salts, sodium salts, potassium salts, ammonium salts, quaternary ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates, persulfates and mixture thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said slurry further comprises an additive in an amount sufficient to prevent decomposition of the oxidizing component and maintain the colloidal stability of the slurry.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
11 words
The slurry of claim 35 wherein said additive is a surfactant.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 35 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
The slurry of claim 36 wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: polyalkyl siloxanes, polyaryl siloxanes, polyoxyalkylene ethers, and mixtures and copolymers thereof.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
The slurry of claim 26 wherein said alumina particle is fumed alumina comprising at least 50% gamma phase and said oxidizing component is iron nitrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3615955A
Cited
US3869323A
Cited
US3869324A
Cited
US3930870A
Cited
US3911562A
Cited
US3922393A
Cited
US3951710A
Cited
US3979239A
Cited
US4057939A
Cited
US4108716A
Cited
US4169337A
Cited
US4184908A
Cited
US4323422A
Cited
US4549374A
Cited
EP0121707B1
Cited
US4600469A
Cited
US4671851A
Cited
US4944836A
Cited
US4671852A
Cited
US4956313A
Cited
US5032203A
Cited
US4793895A
Cited
US5084419A
Cited
US4954459A
Cited
US4962064A
Cited
US4910155A
Cited
US5084071A
Cited
US4954142A
Cited
US5188987A
Cited
US5157876A
Cited
US5137544A
Cited
US5081421A
Cited
US5094972A
Cited
US4992135A
Cited
US5036015A
Cited
US5064683A
Cited
US5194344A
Cited
US5137597A
Cited
US5069002A
Cited
US5225358A
Cited
US5124780A
Cited
US5169491A
Cited
US5246884A
Cited
WO1993011183A1
Cited
US5240552A
Cited
US5223734A
Cited
US5196353A
Cited
US5244534A
Cited
US5245790A
Cited
US5229331A
Cited
US5270241A
Cited
US5162248A
Cited
US5222329A
Cited
US5245794A
Cited
US5264010A
Cited
US5267418A
Cited
US5234867A
Cited
US5209816A
Cited
US5225034A
Cited
US5265370A
Cited
US5232875A
Cited
US5234868A
Cited
US5272117A
Cited
US5271798A
Cited
US5340370A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-18 | 1999-12-18 | 2000-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-18 | 2003-12-18 | 2004-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-18 | 2007-12-18 | 2008-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |