Darrell E Simpson

US Patent:

6899596, May 31, 2005

Filed:

Apr 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/121370

Inventors:

Michael Antonell - Summerfield NC, US
Jennifer A. Antonell - Summerfield NC, US
Erik Cho Houge - Orlando FL, US
Ryan Keith Maynard - St. Cloud FL, US
Darrell L. Simpson - Gotha FL, US

Assignee:

Agere Systems, Inc. - Allentown PA

International Classification:

B24B001/00

US Classification:

451 41, 451 60

Abstract:

A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process using a chemically active slurry having a polarity selected to affect the relative oxidation rates of respective crystalline planes of a polycrystalline surface being polished. The slurry polarity is controlled to equilibrate the material removal rates from the respective crystalline planes during the CMP process. A polar solute may be added to a base solvent to achieve the desired polarity. A CMP process for a tungsten film may utilize a water-based slurry containing an abrasive agent, an oxidizing agent, and a solute having a polarity less than that of water. The abrasive agent may be colloidal silica, the oxidizing agent may be hydrogen peroxide, and the solute may be benzene.