Book Description

With copper and barrier-layer integration firmly in place, several other exciting developments are occurring in the practice of chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), and many advances are described in this book, first published in 2001. Discussions on CMP for shallow-trench isolation, abrasive-free slurries, improvements in pad and tool configurations including fixed abrasive pads, 'engineered' particles, effects of nanotopography, end-point studies, defect characterization and novel post-CMP cleaning methods are highlighted. Considerable progress has also been reported in modeling the complicated interactions that occur between the wafer surface and the pad and the slurry, whether containing abrasives or abrasive-free, and their influence on dishing and erosion and nonuniformity. These studies offer valuable insights for process improvements and yet many challenges remain and will provide a high level of interest for future books. Topics include: recent developments - pads and related issues; CMP abrasives; copper CMP/STI and planarization; STI and planarization - wear-rate models; low-k and integration issues - particle and process effects in CMP and issues in CMP cleaning.