Nano-Sized Chemical Release Capsules Enable High Planarization Efficiency CMP Processes

Abstract

As semiconductor device sizes decrease, next generation CMP slurries must achieve planarization on increasingly more complicated material surfaces with higher aspect ratio structures. While incremental improvements to CMP performance using the traditional homogenous mixtures of abrasives and chemical components continue to be obtained, new approaches to CMP slurry formulations are needed to meet future device requirements. GE&R has developed novel techniques to economically synthesize CMP slurries containing nano-capsules. Nano-capsules use typical metal oxide nanoparticles, where the pores of the particle are loaded with a chemical payload, and then coated with a polymer to encapsulate the chemical payload. When the nano-capsule contacts the wafer surface during CMP, the polymer coating is torn away and the chemical payload is released only in a localized area. A variety of metal oxide base particles (including GE&R silica) and different chemical payloads are possible, opening the door for improved selectivity mechanisms and high planarity processes.