CMP Technology: Competition, Products, Markets

SUMMARY

Driven by the needs in the semiconductor industry for planar wafers across the die and across the wafer, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has emerged as the technology of choice among semiconductor manufacturers. While other planarization methods are satisfactory on the 0.35 μm and above regime of feature sizes, only CMP offers exemplary capabilities below 0.35 μm.

The advantages of CMP are:

• Improved global planarity over non-CMP methods
• Compatible with any conventional dielectric
• Global planarity at 0.35 μm or less feature sizes
• Reduced process steps, particularly lithography
• Can define horizontal and vertical wiring
• Alternative to some defect-prone processes such as etch-back
• Reduced defect density
• Can provide alternative architectures such as damascene

CMP, a key enabling process technology first developed in the mid-1980s, is necessary to produce nearly flat surfaces for lithography as well as many of the structures used in current and future devices. Because of depth-of-field limitations with lithography tools, portions of exposed areas would be out of focus at the highest or lowest point. CMP is used to produce shallow trench isolations (for tighter device to device spacing), capacitors, and to planarize insulators that conformally coat conductors.

This technology-marketing report examines and projects the technologies involved in the planarization of semiconductor layers. The Emphasis is on Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), a process technology that has emerged as a key solution to many of the problems associated with uneven surface topography on IC devices. Current issues related to this technology are addressed.

The complete CMP process is a combination of numerous types of equipment and consumables. Demand in the semiconductor industry is not limited to polishers and oxide slurries, but from a plethora of new pad and slurry combinations arising from the need to planarize such metals as aluminum, tungsten, and copper.

Other technologies will see a concomitant growth with the polisher and consumables market. These include efficient distribution systems to mix, dilute, filter, and deliver slurry and post-CMP clean materials to the CMP modules and post-CMP clean systems; and metrology equipment to measure planarity, film thickness, and surface defects.

This report discusses the technology trends, products, applications, and suppliers of materials and equipment. It also gives insights to suppliers for future user needs and should assist them in long-range planning, new product development and product improvement. A market forecast for CMP equipment and materials is presented.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Executive Summary

• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Market Opportunities

Chapter 3 Planarization Methods

• 3.1 Need for Planarity
  • 3.1.1 Lithography
  • 3.1.2 Deposition
  • 3.1.3 Etching
• 3.2 Applications
  • 3.2.1 Dielectrics
  • 3.2.2 Metals
• 3.3 Planarization Techniques
  • 3.3.1 Local Planarization
    • 3.3.1.1 Deposition-Etchback
    • 3.3.1.2 ECR
    • 3.3.1.3 Oxide Reflow
    • 3.3.1.4 Spin-on-Glass
    • 3.3.1.5 TEOS-Ozone
    • 3.3.1.6 Laser
  • 3.3.2 Global Planarization
    • 3.3.2.1 Spin-On Polymer
    • 3.3.2.2 Polyimide Coating
    • 3.3.2.3 Isotropic Etch
    • 3.3.2.4 Spin Etch Planarization
    • 3.3.2.5 Electropolishing
• 3.4 CMP
  • 3.4.1 Background
  • 3.4.2 Research Efforts
  • 3.4.3 Advantages and Disadvantages
  • 3.4.4 Process Parameters
    • 3.4.4.1 STI Planarization
    • 3.4.4.2 Copper CMP
    • 3.4.4.3 Low-K Integration
    • 3.4.4.4 Defect Density
    • 3.4.4.5 Metrology
  • 3.4.5 Device Processing Parameters
    • 3.4.5.1 Memory Devices
    • 3.4.5.2 Logic Devices

Chapter 4 Consumables

• 4.1 Slurries
  • 4.1.1 Types
  • 4.1.2 pH Effects
  • 4.1.3 Oxidizers
  • 4.1.4 Particle Morphology Effects
  • 4.1.5 Chemical Distribution Management
  • 4.1.6 Slurry Supplier Profiles
  • 4.1.7 Abrasive Suppliers
• 4.2 Post-CMP Clean
• 4.3 Polishing Pads
  • 4.3.1 Types
  • 4.3.2 Performance
  • 4.3.3 Slurryless Pads

Chapter 5 Equipment 5-1

• 5.1 Single-Head Approach
  • 5.1.1 Advantages
  • 5.1.2 Disadvantages
• 5.2 Multi-Head Approach
  • 5.2.1 Advantages
  • 5.2.2 Disadvantages
• 5.3 Equipment Profiles
  • 5.3.1 Applied Materials
  • 5.3.2 Ebara
  • 5.3.3 Strasbaugh
  • 5.3.4 Novellus
  • 5.3.5 Nikon
  • 5.3.7 Other Entrants
• 5.4 Clustered Tools
• 5.5 Competitive Non-CMP Tools

Chapter 6 User Issues

• 6.1 Cost of Ownership
• 6.2 User Requirements
• 6.3 Benchmarking a Vendor
  • 6.3.1 Pricing
  • 6.3.2 Vendor Commitment and Attitudes
  • 6.3.3 Vendor Capabilities
  • 6.3.4 System Capabilities
• 6.4 User-Supplier Synergy
  • 6.4.1 Feedback During Equipment Evaluation
  • 6.4.2 Feedback During Device Production
• 6.5 Reliability
• 6.6 Equipment Maintainability

Chapter 7 Market Forecast

• 7.1 Introduction
• 7.2 Market Forecast Assumptions
• 7.3 Equipment Market
  • 7.3.1 Introduction
  • 7.3.2 CMP Polisher Market
  • 7.3.3 End-Point Detector Market
  • 7.3.4 Chemical Distribution/Mixing Market
  • 7.3.5 Film Thickness/Metrology Market
• 7.4 Consumable Market
  • 7.4.1 Slurry
  • 7.4.2 Pads