SBIR Phase I: Single Step Chemical Mechanical Planarization of Copper/Ultra Low k Interconnects

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）研究项目旨在开发一种单步化学机械抛光（CMP）工艺，用于制造下一代基于铜的互连，将数百万个晶体管连接在芯片上。现有技术的铜CMP工艺是复杂的，需要多个步骤来满足缺陷质量和平面性要求。此外，现有工艺在抛光期间产生高应力，这可能与现在由半导体工业引入的易碎的低介电常数材料不兼容。为了应对这些挑战，公司提出开发“软抛光层”概念，用于温和地去除铜，而不会损坏脆弱的电介质层。在浆料中使用相容的化学物质和纳米颗粒允许成功开发用于制造基于铜的互连的灵活的、无缺陷的、单步工艺，这将为半导体芯片制造商节省大量成本。随着新的易碎超低k材料的即将引入，CMP工艺预计将变得更加复杂和昂贵，以实现必要的性能水平。如果成功的话，单步CMP工艺的实施有望达到或超过45 nm制造节点的技术性能水平，同时将CMP制造成本降低高达80%，这可能会为半导体行业节省数十亿美元。成本的降低主要是由于制造过程的简化、更高的产量、增加的产量、更少地使用资本设备和人力以及消耗品成本的降低。该项目的成功完成将有助于保持和发展国家在纳米技术方面的领导地位，这是国家未来健康和活力的关键领域。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) research project aims to develop a single step chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process for fabrication of next generation of copper based interconnects that join millions of transistors on a chip. The current state of the art copper CMP process is complicated requiring multiple steps to meet the defect quality and planarity requirements. Furthermore, existing processes create high stresses during polishing, which may not be compatible with the fragile low dielectric constant materials now being introduced by the semiconductor industry. To address these challenges the company proposes to develop the "soft polishing layer" concept for gentle removal of copper that does not damage the fragile dielectric layer. The use compatible chemistries and nanoparticles in the slurry allows successful development of a flexible, defect-free, single step process to fabricate copper based interconnects that will result in substantial cost savings to the semiconductor chip manufacturers.With the impending introduction of new fragile ultra low k materials, CMP processes are expected to become more complicated and expensive, to achieve the necessary levels of performance. If successful the implementation of the single step CMP process is expected to meet or exceed the technical performance levels of the 45 nm manufacturing node while decreasing the CMP manufacturing costs by up to 80% which could translates in billions of dollars saved in the semiconductor industry. The reduction in costs is largely due to the simplification of the manufacturing process, higher throughput, increased yield, less use of capital equipment and manpower, and reduction in consumable costs. The successful completion of this project will help maintain and grow the country's leadership in nanotechnology, a key area for future health and vitality of the nation.