Shear thickening and defect formation of fumed silica CMP slurries

During the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, it is believed that shear thickening of the slurry, caused by particle agglomeration, has the potential to result in a significant increase in particle-induced surface defects (i.e. scratches, gouges, pits, etc.). In this study, we have developed a methodology for the synchronized measurement of rheological behavior while polishing a semiconductor wafer, the first of its kind (a technique termed rheo-polishing). We investigate the shear thickening of a 25 wt% fumed silica slurry with 0.15 M added KCl and its impact on polishing performance and subsequent surface damage. The thickened slurry displays a ∼5-fold increase in viscosity with increasing shear rate. As the shear rate is reduced back to zero, the slurry continues to thicken showing a final viscosity that is ∼100× greater than the initial viscosity. Optical microscopy and non-contact profilometry were then utilized to directly link slurry thickening behavior to more severe surface scratching of “polished” TEOS wafers. The thickened slurry generated up to 7× more surface scratches than a non-thickened slurry. Both slurry thickening and surface scratching were associated with a dramatic increase in the population of “large” particles (≥300 nm) which were undetectable in the non-thickened slurry. These “large” and potentially scratch-generating particles are believed to instigate measurable surface damage.