A review: research progress of chemical-mechanical polishing slurry for copper interconnection of integrated circuits

When the integrated circuit (IC) feature size is reduced to 0.13 mu m and below, copper (Cu) becomes the new wiring material in interconnect materials. The double damascene process is the only process for Cu patterning that is mature and has been successfully applied to IC manufacturing, so Cu interconnection chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), which can achieve the surface nanoscale accuracy required by lithography level, is of great importance to the IC industry. The slurry is the most important component of the CMP materials and has a significant impact on the surface quality of the polished wafer. Therefore, how to select suitable additives to improve the chemical effect and obtain excellent post-polishing surface and good slurry stability while saving cost is an urgent issue to be considered. The research progress of each component in Cu interconnection slurry was discussed in this paper, mainly focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of acidic and alkaline slurries, and the research progress of oxidants, complexing agents, surfactants, and corrosion inhibitors as well as their respective action mechanisms were analyzed in detail, which will be a great contribution to the IC field. It will facilitate the optimization of the slurry for further development of new Cu interconnection CMP slurry.

Automated summary

When the feature size of integrated circuits (ICs) reaches 0.13μm and below, copper (Cu) becomes the preferred wiring material for interconnects. The double damascene process is the mature and successful method for Cu patterning in IC manufacturing, making Cu interconnection chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) crucial for achieving nanoscale accuracy. The selection of suitable additives for CMP slurries is important for obtaining excellent post-polishing surfaces and stable slurries while minimizing costs. This paper discusses the research progress of each component in Cu interconnection slurry, particularly focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of acidic and alkaline slurries, as well as the advancements and action mechanisms of oxidants, complexing agents, surfactants, and corrosion inhibitors. This research contributes greatly to the IC field and facilitates the optimization of Cu interconnection CMP slurries for further development.