Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2011
Chemical-Mechanical Polishing has been revealed as an attractive technique for poly-Si of trench planalization. Major issue of the process integration is pattern erosion after over polishing. A new process with silica slurry containing organic surfactant is reported in this paper. A patterned wafer after conventional CMP process is eroded by over polishing, however, the new process conducts small erosion for wide trenches. The organic surfactant is well known as a inhibitor for the protection of poly-Si from alkaline, and the new slurry shows a large pH dependency of the viscosity. The experimental work has been focused on the viscosity, and the mechanism of the small erosion is discussed. This new process should be useful for recessing poly-Si by CMP, because it keeps the erosion level very low.