Electrochemical characterization of surface complexes formed on Cu and Ta in succinic acid based solutions used for chemical mechanical planarization

Open-circuit potential measurements, cyclic voltammetry and Fourier transform impedance spectroscopy have been used to study pH dependent surface reactions of Cu and Ta rotating disc electrodes (RDEs) in aqueous solutions of succinic acid (SA, a complexing agent), hydrogen peroxide (an oxidizer), and ammonium dodecyl sulfate (ADS, a corrosion inhibitor for Cu). The surface chemistries of these systems are relevant for the development of a single-slurry approach to chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of Cu lines and Ta barriers in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. It is shown that in non-alkaline solutions of H₂O₂, the SA-promoted surface complexes of Cu and Ta can potentially support chemically enhanced material removal in low-pressure CMP of surface topographies overlying fragile low-k dielectrics. ADS can suppress Cu dissolution without significantly affecting the surface chemistry of Ta. The data analysis steps are discussed in detail to demonstrate how the D.C. and A.C. electrochemical probes can be combined in the framework of the RDE technique to design and test CMP slurry solutions.     

Effect of sulfide pollution on the stability of the protective film of benzotriazole on copper

Benzotriazole (BTAH) is an excellent inhibitor for the corrosion of copper and many of its alloys in unpolluted media. Protection is attributed to the formation of a film of Cu(I)BTA. Injection of sulfide ions into a benzotriazole inhibited salt water damages the protective Cu(I)BTA film very rapidly, increases the corrosion rate and leads to the formation of copper sulfide. This effect is quite marked at a sulfide concentration as low as 10⁻⁵ M (about 0.3 ppm sulfur) in the presence of 10⁻² M BTAH, which is 1000-fold greater than that of the sulfide ion. The intensity of sulfide attack increases with its concentration.Prolonged pre-passivation of copper in the BTAH protected medium even at high concentration does not markedly improve the resistance of the protective film to sulfide attack. This finding is contrary to a well-documented phenomenon in unpolluted media where the inhibiting efficiency of BTAH increases with the time of immersion and the concentration of the inhibitor. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals the presence of both sulfide and BTAH on the corroded surface indicating that sulfide attack is localized.     

Benzotriazole as an inhibitor of brass corrosion in chloride solution

The current research explores the formation of protective layers on copper, zinc and copper-zinc (Cu-10Zn and Cu-40Zn) alloys in chloride solution containing benzotriazole (BTAH), by use of electrochemical techniques, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical reactions and surface products formed at the open circuit potential and as a function of the potential range are discussed. The addition of benzotriazole to aerated, near neutral 0.5 M NaCl solution affects the dissolution of copper, zinc, Cu-10Zn and Cu-40Zn alloys. The research also compares the inhibition efficiency and Gibbs adsorption energies of the investigated process. Benzotriazole, generally known as an inhibitor of copper corrosion is also shown to be an efficient inhibitor for copper-zinc alloys and zinc metal. The surface layer formed on alloys in BTAH-inhibited solution comprised both oxide and polymer components, namely Cu₂O and ZnO oxides, and Cu(I)-BTA and Zn(II)-BTA polymers. The formation of this mixed copper-zinc oxide polymer surface film provides an effective barrier against corrosion of both metal components in chloride solution.     

苯并三氮唑对铜和铁缓蚀作用的拉曼光谱研究

本文利用现场拉曼光谱研究了中性含氯离子溶液中苯并三氮唑在铜和铁电极表面的吸附以及成膜行为,结果表明苯并三氮唑能强烈地化学吸附于铜电极和铁电极表面,形成类似［Ｍｎ（ＢＴＡ）ｐ］的配合物膜,一定程度上阻止了膜内外物质的交换,对金属起缓蚀作用。另一方面两种金属表面配合物膜均具有电位依赖性：在铜电极表面,当外加电位由－０．５Ｖ负移至－０．９Ｖ时,发生了由［Ｃｕ（Ⅰ）（ＢＴＡ）］ｎ向［Ｃｕ（Ⅰ）Ｃｌ（ＢＴＡＨ）］４的转变;而在铁电极表面当外加电位由－０．６Ｖ负移至－１．２Ｖ时,最初形成的表面配合物［Ｆｅｎ（ＢＴＡ）ｐ］则很可能转变成类似于［Ｆｅｎ（Ｃｌ）ｐ（ＢＴＡＨ）ｍ］的配合物,从而使得ＢＴＡＨ对铜、铁的缓蚀能力均有所下降。     

苯并三唑表面配位化学的电化学现场拉曼光谱研究

用电化学现场表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)研究了非水体系中苯并三唑(BTAH)在银电极表面的吸附及成膜行为,结果表明非水体系中BTAH的吸附行为随电位变化而不同。较负区间主要以中性分子形式吸附;中间电位区间主要以BTA-吸附并不可逆成膜。采用直接电化学合成技术模拟电极表面过程制备了苯并三唑与Cu, Ag, Fe, Ni和Zn等金属的配合物,并研究了中性配体三苯基膦(pph₃)对其配位过程的影响,所得产物的元素分析以及拉曼光谱研究表明pph₃的加入影响了Cu和Ag与BTAH的配位过程,并出现在最终产物中,而对BTAH与Ni, Fe和Zn的配位过程未产生影响,产物未出现pph₃。     

Modeling the effects of oxidizer, complexing agent and inhibitor on material removal for copper chemical mechanical polishing

The paper presents a novel mathematical model that systematically describes the role of oxidizer, complexing agent and inhibitor on the material removal in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of copper. The physical basis of the model is the steady-state oxidation reaction and etched removal in additional to mechanical removal. It is shown that the complexing agent concentration-removal relation follows a trend similar to that observed from the effects of oxidizer on Cu removal in CMP. In addition, the removal rate and the coupled effects of the chemical additives are determined from a close-form equation, making use of the concepts of chemical-mechanical equilibrium and chemical kinetics. The model prediction trends show qualitatively good agreement with the published experimental data. The governing equation of copper removal reveals some insights into the polishing process in addition to its underlying theoretical foundation.     

A nano-scale mirror-like surface of Ti–6Al–4V attained by chemical mechanical polishing

Metal Ti and its alloys have been widely utilized in the fields of aviation, medical science, and micro-electromechanical systems, for its excellent specific strength, resistance to corrosion, and biological compatibility. As the application of Ti moves to the micro or nano scale, however, traditional methods of planarization have shown their short slabs.Thus, we introduce the method of chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) to provide a new way for the nano-scale planarization method of Ti alloys. We obtain a mirror-like surface, whose flatness is of nano-scale, via the CMP method. We test the basic mechanical behavior of Ti–6Al–4V(Ti64) in the CMP process, and optimize the composition of CMP slurry.Furthermore, the possible reactions that may take place in the CMP process have been studied by electrochemical methods combined with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). An equivalent circuit has been built to interpret the dynamic of oxidation. Finally, a model has been established to explain the synergy of chemical and mechanical effects in the CMP of Ti–6Al–4V.     

Investigation of agglomerated Cu seed on Cu oxidation after chemical mechanical planarization

After chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), the reason which caused the formation of Cu-oxide defects at the interface between Cu deposit and TaN barrier layer has been studied. The experimental results of atomic force microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the agglomeration phenomenon was found on Cu seed in the thickness of only 10 nm, thus resulting in the electrodeposited Cu film with more abundant C impurities at Cu/TaN interface and lower (1 1 1)/(2 0 0) ratio compared to the thick one (30 nm). Therefore it caused the Cu deposit with poor corrosion resistance and then the Cu-oxide defects were easily formed after CMP. As a result, the correlation between Cu-oxide defects at the Cu/TaN interface and the agglomeration on Cu seed layer was proposed herein.     

Effect of Chemicals on Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Glass Substrates

We investigate the effect of chemicals on chemical mechanical polishing （CMP） of glass substrates. Ceria slurry in an ultra-low concentration of 0.25 wt. % is used and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Three typical molecules, i.e. acetic acid, citric acid and sodium acrylic polymer, are adopted to investigate the effect on CMP performance in terms of material removal rate （MRR） and surface quality. The addition of sodium acrylic polymer shows the highest MRR as well as the best surface by atomic force microscopy after CMP, while the addition of citric acid shows the worst performance. These results reveal a mechanism that a long-chain molecule without any branches rather than small molecules and common molecules with ramose abundant-electron groups is better for the dispersion of the slurry and thus better for the CMP process.     

绿色环保化学机械抛光液的研究进展

原子级加工制造是实现半导体晶圆原子尺度超光滑表面的有效途径.作为大尺寸高精密功能材料的原子级表面制造的重要加工手段之一,化学机械抛光(chemical mechanical polishing,CMP)凭借化学腐蚀和机械磨削的耦合协同作用,成为实现先进材料或器件超光滑无损伤表面平坦化加工的关键技术,在航空、航天、微电子等众多领域得到了广泛应用.然而,为了实现原子层级超滑表面的制备,CMP工艺中常采用的化学腐蚀和机械磨削方法需要使用具有强烈腐蚀性和高毒性的危险化学品,对生态系统产生了不可逆转的危害.因此,本文以绿色环保高性能抛光液作为对象,对加工原子量级表面所采用的化学添加剂进行分类总结,详尽分析在CMP过程中化学添加剂对材料表面性质调制的作用机理,为在原子级尺度下改善表面性质提供可参考的依据.最后,提出了CMP抛光液在原子级加工研究中面临的挑战,并对未来抛光液发展方向作出了展望,这对原子尺度表面精度的进一步提升具有深远的现实意义.     

Ceria concentration effect on chemical mechanical polishing of optical glass

It was found material removal rate (MRR) sharply increased from 250 to 675 nm/min as the concentration decreased from 1 to 0.25 wt% in optical glass chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) using ceria slurries. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to characterize the ceria abrasive used in the slurry. Atomic force microscopy results showed good surface had been got after CMP. Schematic diagrams of the CMP process were shown. Furthermore, the absorption spectra indicated a sudden change from Ce⁴⁺ to Ce³⁺ of the ceria surface when the concentration decreased, which revealed a quantum origin of the phenomenon.     

Models of nanoparticles movement,collision, and friction in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)

Nanoparticles have been widely used in polishing slurry such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. The movement of nanoparticles in polishing slurry and the interaction between nanoparticles and solid surface are very important to obtain an atomic smooth surface in CMP process. Polishing slurry contains abrasive nanoparticles (with the size range of about 10–100 nm) and chemical reagents. Abrasive nanoparticles and hydrodynamic pressure are considered to cause the polishing effect. Nanoparticles behavior in the slurry with power-law viscosity shows great effect on the wafer surface in polishing process. CMP is now a standard process of integrated circuit manufacturing at nanoscale. Various models can dynamically predict the evolution of surface topography for any time point during CMP. To research, using a combination of individual nanoscale friction measurements for CMP of SiO₂, in an analytical model, to sum these effects, and the results scale CMP experiments, can guide the research and validate the model. CMP endpoint measurements, such as those from motor current traces, enable verification of model predictions, relating to friction and wear in CMP and surface topography evolution for different types of CMP processes and patterned chips. In this article, we explore models of the microscopic frictional force based on the surface topography and present both experimental and theoretical studies on the movement of nanoparticles in polishing slurry and collision between nanoparticles, as well as between the particles and solid surfaces in time of process CMP. Experimental results have proved that the nanoparticle size and slurry properties have great effects on the polishing results. The effects of the nanoparticle size and the slurry film thickness are also discussed.     

Effect of additives for higher removal rate in lithium niobate chemical mechanical planarization

High roughness and a greater number of defects were created by lithium niobate (LN; LiNbO₃) processes such as traditional grinding and mechanical polishing (MP), should be decreased for manufacturing LN device. Therefore, an alternative process for gaining defect-free and smooth surface is needed. Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is suitable method in the LN process because it uses a combination approach consisting of chemical and mechanical effects. First of all, we investigated the LN CMP process using commercial slurry by changing various process conditions such as down pressure and relative velocity. However, the LN CMP process time using commercial slurry was long to gain a smooth surface because of lower material removal rate (MRR). So, to improve the material removal rate (MRR), the effects of additives such as oxidizer (hydrogen peroxide; H₂O₂) and complexing agent (citric acid; C₆H₈O₇) in a potassium hydroxide (KOH) based slurry, were investigated. The manufactured slurry consisting of H₂O₂-citric acid in the KOH based slurry shows that the MRR of the H₂O₂ at 2 wt% and the citric acid at 0.06 M was higher than the MRR for other conditions.     

Localized corrosion effects and modifications of acidic and alkaline slurries on copper chemical mechanical polishing

This study demonstrates the CMP performance can be enhanced by modifying the corrosion effects of acidic and alkaline slurries on copper. A corrosion test-cell with a polishing platform is connected with the potentiostat to investigate the corrosion behaviors of copper CMP in various alumina slurries. Experiments show that the slurry needs to be maintained in acidic pH<4.56 or alkaline pH>9.05 surroundings and thus better dispersion of alumina particles and less residual contaminant on copper surface can be obtained. The surface defects after copper CMP using acidic and alkaline slurries are described by pitting corrosion mechanisms, and these mechanisms can be regarded as a basis to modify their corrosion effects. Experimental results indicate that it is necessary to modify the dissolution of HNO₃ and oxidization of NH₄OH for copper CMP slurries. Consequently, the slurries of 5 wt.% HNO₃ by adding 0.1 wt.% BTA or 5 wt.% KNO₃ by adding 1 wt.% NH₄OH achieve good CMP performance for copper with higher CMP efficiency factor (CMPEF), 1460 and 486, and lower surface roughness (R_q), 4.019 and 3.971 nm, respectively. It is found that AFM micrographs can support the effectiveness of corrosion modifications for copper CMP in various slurry chemistries.     

Shell‐isolated nanoparticle enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) investigation of benzotriazole film formation on Cu(100), Cu(111), and Cu(poly)

Benzotriazole (BTAH) is well known as an effective corrosion inhibitor for Cu because of its ability to make a coordination polymer film on the surface that provides a barrier to Cu oxidation. BTA⁻ film formation was investigated on single‐crystal and polycrystalline Cu surfaces with shell‐isolated nanoparticle enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) using silica‐encapsulated Au nanoparticles. Potential‐dependent spectra display reversible film formation on polycrystalline Cu and irreversible film formation on single‐crystal Cu. Grain boundaries leading to smaller BTA⁻‐Cu oligomers are proposed to be the reason for cathodic degradation of the BTA⁻ polymeric films on polycrystalline Cu. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of material removal mechanism of silicon wafer in the chemical mechanical polishing process using molecular dynamics simulation method

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technology, being the mainstream technique of acquiring global planarization and nanometer level surface, has already become an attractive research item. In the case of CMP process, the indentation depth lies in the range of nanometer or sub-nanometer, huge hydrostatic pressure induced in the local deformation area which makes the material removal and surface generation process different from traditional manufacturing process. In order to investigate the physical essence of CMP technique, the authors carry out molecular dynamics (MD) analysis of chemical mechanical polishing of a silicon wafer. The simulation result shows that huge hydrostatic pressure is induced in the local area and leads to the silicon atom transform from the classical diamond structure (α silicon) to metal structure (β silicon). This important factor results in the ductile fracture of silicon and then in the acquisition of a super-smooth surface.     

Dynamics of individual atomic kinks during crystal dissolution

The dynamics of kink motion via atom removal/deposition as a fundamental step in dissolution/crystallization of solids have become directly accessible by a novel scanning tunneling microscopy technique. Results obtained for the electrochemical dissolution of Cu(100) in HCl solution show pronounced local dissolution/redeposition fluctuations at the individual kinks even at the onset of Cu dissolution with average kink propagation and reaction rates in the range 10(3) and 10(5) atoms s(-1), respectively. These experiments allow one to directly measure the central kinetic properties of this electrochemical reaction.     

化学机械抛光中纳米颗粒的作用分析

化学机械抛光（chemical mechanical polishing, CMP）是用于获取原子级平面度的有效手 段.目前，CMP的抛光液通常使用纳米级颗粒来加速切除和优化抛光质量.这类流体的流变性 能必须考虑微极性效应的影响.对考虑微极性效应的运动方程的求解，有助于了解CMP的作用 机理.数值模拟表明，微极性将提高抛光液的等效黏度从而在一定程度上提高其承载能力， 加速材料去除.这在低节距或低转速下尤为明显，体现出其具有尺寸依赖性.通过改变抛光液 中粒子的微极性，用实验研究了微极性效应对CMP中材料去除速率的影响，证明了分析的合 理性. 关键词： 化学机械抛光 微极流体 抛光液 流变特性 材料去除速率     

First principle calculations of benzotriazole adsorption onto clean Cu(1 1 1)

The adsorption of benzotriazole (BTAH or C₆N₃H₅) on a Cu(1 1 1) surface is investigated by using first principle density functional theory calculations (VASP). It is found that BTAH can be physisorbed (<0.1 eV) or weakly chemisorbed (∼0.43 eV) onto Cu(1 1 1), and the chemical bond is formed through nitrogen sp² lone pairs. The weak chemisorption can be stabilized by reaction with neighboring protonphilic radicals, like OH⁻. Furthermore, the geometries and associated energies of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between adsorbates on Cu(1 1 1) are also calculated. A model of the first layer of BTAH/BTA⁻ on Cu(1 1 1) surface is developed based on a hydrogen bond network structure.