Modeling and Analyzing on Nonuniformity of Material Removal in Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Silicon Wafer

Abstract

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has already become a mainstream technology in global planarization of wafer, but the mechanism of nonuniform material removal has not been revealed. In this paper, the calculation of particle movement tracks on wafer surface was conducted by the motion relationship between the wafer and the polishing pad on a large-sized single head CMP machine. Based on the distribution of particle tracks on wafer surface, the model for the within-wafer-nonuniformity (WIWNU) of material removal was put forward. By the calculation and analysis, the relationship between the motion variables of the CMP machine and the WIWNU of material removal on wafer surface had been derived. This model can be used not only for predicting the WIWNU, but also for providing theoretical guide to the design of CMP equipment, selecting the motion variables of CMP and further understanding the material removal mechanism in wafer CMP.