Abstract
A controlled atmosphere polishing (CAP) system was used to determine the effects of various chamber gases on copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) in the presence and absence of and . Using oxygen or nitrogen has only slight effects on copper removal rates in the presence of . Polishing without , performed with controlled oxygen partial pressure, demonstrates removal rates that are times higher than using nitrogen. Polishing using inert gases alone demonstrates an oxidant-starved system that reflects little dependence on wafer pressure or velocity. Addition of (pH 10) to experiments using oxidizing gases, such as oxygen and air, increases removal rates up to . Removal rates vary linearly with oxygen partial pressure using oxidizing gases for experiments using at pH 10. A trend indicating a transition from chemical to mechanical control is observed when concentration is increased at constant oxygen pressure. A copper removal mechanism in the presence of dissolved oxygen has been developed that highlights a buildup of oxidized copper at the wafer surface. The ability to perform CMP in a pressurized gaseous environment has shown that copper removal is a process of mechanical removal, dissolution of abraded material, and copper-oxygen reactions at the wafer surface.
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