Multi-Scale Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) Physics-Based Modeling

CMP has significant influence on the show stopping manufacturing process known as Photolithography. Without tightly controlled CMP lithography will fail. Changes in roughness at the feature to wafer scale can lead to lose of yield due to lithographic failures. In addition dishing and erosion can cause large variations in timing and power. This work looks into modeling CMP across all scales using physics-based modeling so that the model remains predictive without obtaining new empirical values for a new or adjusted CMP recipe.   multi-scale-cmp-physics
PFTL Research Assistant(s):   Jonatan A. Sierra Suarez; Gagan Srivastava;
Method(s) Employed:   In situ data acquisition, 3D computational fluid dynamics(CFD) ; ex situ optical interferometry, ex situ layout analysis
Rig(s) and/or Software(s) Employed:   GnP Poli300 Polisher, Zygo New-View 7300 Optical Interferometer, Amscope 520T Microscope, Radwag XS220 Microbalance,
Sponsor(s):    

Sample Results:

A closer look at feature-scale wear (in-house physics-based modeling)

Simulation of Wear Profiles for Different Line Widths (Feature Scale Dishing and Erosion)

 

model and experiment

 

pressure prediction

 

Select PFTL References:

Sierra Suarez J.A., Srivastava G., Higgs C.F. "A 3D Soft-EHL Model for Simulating Feature-scale Defects in Advanced Node ICs" Proceedings of: MRS Spring Meeting. San Francisco, CA, April, 2nd 2013.