Effect of chemical additive on fixed abrasive pad self-conditioning in CMP

Abstract

Self-conditioning performance of polishing pad is an important characteristic to influence processing efficiency and service life in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The slurry can react with the pad surface, which affects its self-conditioning performance in fixed abrasive polishing process. Wear ratio of wafer material removal rate (MRR) and pad wear rate is introduced to evaluate self-conditioning performance of fixed abrasive pad (FAP). To clear the effect of chemical additive on FAP self-conditioning, wear ratio, FAP surface topography, friction coefficient, and acoustic emission signal of polishing process were investigated in fixed abrasive polishing of quartz glass with ferric nitrate, ethylenediamine (EDA), and triethanolamine (TEA) slurry, respectively. Results indicate that TEA slurry can provide excellent self-conditioning of FAP in fixed abrasive polishing of quartz glass. MRR and wear ratio maintain high levels during the whole polishing process. Friction coefficient and acoustic emission signal are more stable than that of the other two chemical additives. An appropriate amount of TEA, which is beneficial to enhance MRR and extends service life of FAP, is added in the polishing slurry to improve FAP self-conditioning in fixed abrasive polishing process.