Electrical AFM Measurements for Evaluation of Nitride Erosion in Shallow Trench Isolation Chemical Mechanical Planarization

2004 ◽  
Vol 838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yordan Stefanov ◽  
Tino Ruland ◽  
Udo Schwalke
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Mechanical Planarization ◽  
Tunneling Current ◽  
Silicon Surfaces ◽  
Nanometer Scale ◽  
Shallow Trench Isolation ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Trench Isolation ◽  
Clear Identification ◽  
Non Destructive

ABSTRACTThis article proposes a new application of tunneling current measurements Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for evaluation of silicon nitride stop-layer erosion in Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP). Simultaneous topographical and electrical AFM measurements allow a clear identification of ‘open’ silicon surfaces on nanometer scale by enhanced tunneling currents in those areas. The measurement technique is non-destructive and can be successfully implemented for process control.

Constraints on removal of Si3N4 film with conformation-controlled poly(acrylic acid) in shallow-trench isolation chemical–mechanical planarization (STI CMP)

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye-Hwan Kim ◽  
Seung-Mi Lee ◽  
Kee-June Lee ◽  
Ungyu Paik ◽  
Jea-Gun Park
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Strength ◽  
Acrylic Acid ◽  
Removal Rate ◽  
Chemical Mechanical Planarization ◽  
Shallow Trench Isolation ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Carboxylate Groups ◽  
Trench Isolation ◽  
Poly Acrylic Acid

The effect of changes in poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) conformation on removal of Si3N4 film was investigated. PAA was used as a passivation agent by adsorption on an Si3N4 film in shallow-trench isolation chemical–mechanical planarization (STI CMP). Adsorption behavior of PAA on the Si3N4 film and the conformation transition were determined by adsorption isotherms and force measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a function of ionic strength. AFM results revealed that, as ionic strength increases, the repulsive force between the negatively charged carboxylate groups along the backbone of PAA is reduced due to counterion screening and to the changes of PAA conformation from a stretched to a coiled configuration. At high ionic strength, the coiled conformation of PAA formed a dense passivation layer on the Si3N4 film, which led to suppression of the removal rate of Si3N4 film from 72 to 61 Å/min in the STI CMP process.

Atomic force microscopy study of the role of molecular weight of poly(acrylic acid) in chemical mechanical planarization for shallow trench isolation

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chae-Woong Cho ◽  
Sang-Kyun Kim ◽  
Ungyu Paik ◽  
Jea-Gun Park ◽  
Wolfgang M. Sigmund
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Acrylic Acid ◽  
Chemical Mechanical Planarization ◽  
Nitride Film ◽  
Shallow Trench Isolation ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Trench Isolation ◽  
Poly Acrylic Acid

The influence of the molecular weight of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) for shallow trench isolation (STI) was investigated. The adsorption behaviors of PAA as a function of molecular weight on deposited plasma-enhanced tetraethylorthosilicate and chemical vapor deposition Si3N4 films were analyzed by the force measurement using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM results revealed that the affinity of PAA with the nitride film is higher than the affinity with the oxide film, and thus a denser adsorption layer on the nitride film is formed with higher molecular weight of PAA, which leads to higher selectivity in STI CMP. Additionally, to determine the correlation between the dispersion stability of the CeO2 resulting from the presence of PAA with different molecular weight and CMP performance, the colloidal properties of the slurry as a function of the molecular weight of PAA were examined.

Advances in Chemical-Mechanical Planarization

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 743-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajiv K. Singh ◽  
Rajeev Bajaj
Keyword(s):  
Surface Topography ◽  
Process Integration ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Chemical Mechanical Planarization ◽  
Shallow Trench Isolation ◽  
Trench Isolation ◽  
Fundamental Understanding ◽  
Copper Polishing ◽  
Future Growth

AbstractThe primary aim of this issue of MRS Bulletin is to present an overview of the materials issues in chemical–mechanical planarization (CMP), also known as chemical–mechanial polishing, a process that is used in the semiconductor industry to isolate and connect individual transistors on a chip. The CMP process has been the fastest-growing semiconductor operation in the last decade, and its future growth is being fueled by the introduction of copper-based interconnects in advanced microprocessors and other devices. Articles in this issue range from providing a fundamental understanding of the CMP process to the latest advancements in the field. Topics covered in these articles include an overview of CMP, fundamental principles of slurry design, understanding wafer–pad–slurry interactions, process integration issues, the formulation of abrasive-free slurries for copper polishing, understanding surface topography issues in shallow trench isolation, and emerging applications.

scholarly journals Simultaneous current, force and dissipation measurements on the Si(111) 7×7 surface with an optimized qPlus AFM/STM technique

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zsolt Majzik ◽  
Martin Setvín ◽  
Andreas Bettac ◽  
Albrecht Feltz ◽  
Vladimír Cháb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Talk ◽  
Tuning Fork ◽  
Tunneling Current ◽  
Quartz Tuning Fork ◽  
Scanning Tunneling ◽  
Experimental Setup ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Force Signal ◽  
Reported Data

We present the results of simultaneous scanning-tunneling and frequency-modulated dynamic atomic force microscopy measurements with a qPlus setup. The qPlus sensor is a purely electrical sensor based on a quartz tuning fork. If both the tunneling current and the force signal are to be measured at the tip, a cross-talk of the tunneling current with the force signal can easily occur. The origin and general features of the capacitive cross-talk will be discussed in detail in this contribution. Furthermore, we describe an experimental setup that improves the level of decoupling between the tunneling-current and the deflection signal. The efficiency of this experimental setup is demonstrated through topography and site-specific force/tunneling-spectroscopy measurements on the Si(111) 7×7 surface. The results show an excellent agreement with previously reported data measured by optical interferometric deflection.

Silica Nanoparticles to Polish Tooth Surfaces for Caries Prevention

2008 ◽  
Vol 87 (10) ◽  
pp. 980-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Gaikwad ◽  
I. Sokolov
Keyword(s):  
Silica Nanoparticles ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Bacterial Attachment ◽  
Nanometer Scale ◽  
Human Teeth ◽  
Cariogenic Bacteria ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Tooth Surfaces ◽  
Scale Roughness

Although silica particles have been used for tooth polishing, polishing with nanosized particles has not been reported. Here we hypothesize that such polishing may protect tooth surfaces against the damage caused by cariogenic bacteria, because the bacteria can be easily removed from such polished surfaces. This was tested on human teeth ex vivo. The roughness of the polished surfaces was measured with atomic force microscopy (AFM). A considerably lower nanometer-scale roughness was obtained when silica nanoparticles were used to polish the tooth surfaces, as compared with conventional polishing pastes. Bacterial attachment to the dental surfaces was studied for Streptococcus mutans, the most abundant cariogenic bacteria. We demonstrated that it is easier to remove bacteria from areas polished with silica nanoparticles. The results demonstrate the advantage of using silica nanoparticles as abrasives for tooth polishing.

MICROCRACKS IN ~ 100 MeV Si7+-ION-IRRADIATED p-SILICON SURFACES

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (03) ◽  
pp. 265-269
Author(s):  
O. P. SINHA ◽  
P. C. SRIVASTAVA ◽  
V. GANESAN
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Target Surface ◽  
Silicon Surfaces ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Induced Stress

The p-silicon surfaces have been irradiated with ~ 100 MeV Si 7+ions to a fluence of 2.2×1013 ions cm -2, and surface morphology has been studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Interesting features of cracks of ~ 47 nm in depth and ~ 103 nm in width on the irradiated surfaces have been observed. The observed features seemed to have been caused by the irradiation-induced stress in the irradiated regions of the target surface.

Wettability and Nanotribological Response of Silicon Surfaces Functionalized by Ion Implantation

2012 ◽  
Vol 730-732 ◽  
pp. 257-262
Author(s):  
Bruno Nunes ◽  
Sergio Magalhães ◽  
Nuno Franco ◽  
Eduardo Alves ◽  
Ana Paula Serro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Ion Implantation ◽  
Silicon Surfaces ◽  
Iron Ions ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Scanning Electron

Aiming to improve the nanotribological response of Si-based materials we implanted silicon wafers with different fluences of iron ions (up to 2x1017 cm-2). Implantation was followed by annealing treatments at temperatures from 550°C to 1000°C. The implanted surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and wettability tests. Then, samples were submitted to AFM-based nanowear tests. We observe an increase of both hidrophobicity and and wear resistance of the implanted silicon, indicating that ion implantation of Si can be a route to be deeper explored in what concerns tribomechanical improvement of Si.

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