Levitronix® Slurry Injection System by ARACA Innovative High Efficiency Slurry Injection System

Significantly increased removal rate » Faster processing time of up to 15%

Slurry flow rate reduction » Direct cost savings on slurry of up to 30%

Better yield » Defect reduction of up to 70%

Modular assembly skid» Quick and easy local retrofit installation

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• Improved slurry utilization by efficient delivery of fresh slurry to the pad-wafer interface.

• Reduced mixing of spent slurry and re-sidual DI water with fresh slurry sup-plied during polishing.

• Higher material removal rate at the same slurry flow rate.

• Equivalent material removal rate at lower slurry flow rates.

• Lower wafer-level polishing defects at the same slurry flow rate.

• Effective capture of foam (due to hydro-gen peroxide and surfactants) generat-ed during polishing.

• ROI less than 12 months.

Slurries are expensive and reducing their flow rate is among the top objec-tives of any CMP group leader and fab manager however slurries vary in chemical and physical properties and they rely on different mechanisms for removal.

Therefore, a simple reduction in slurry flow without understanding the nature of the slurry, and without fundamentally changing the method of slurry dis-pense, can cause adverse effects such as:

• Lower removal rate.• Higher WIWNU.• Higher wafer-level polishing defects.• Slower displacement of rinse water from the pad surface.

Each IC fab employs different processes and different sets of consumables (i.e. slurry, pad and conditioning disc). Therefore no universal technological solution exists for slurry flow rate reduction.

The novel SIS is designed to significantly reduce slurry flow rate without ad-versely impacting RR. Wafer-level defects are typically comparable or lower than those observed with the Process of Record (POR) flow rate. Alternative-ly, SIS may be used to increase RR at the POR slurry flow rate.

SIS units can be added to existing polisher hardware in the most non-intru-sive manner and be removed in less than 5 minutes during CMP pad chang-es. To mitigate risks, Araca offers to tailor SIS unit to a specific customer's process and tested at their applications lab to determine its COO reduction potential prior to testing at the customer site.

Validation of performance and COO reduction will occur on the customer’s polishing tool during a 2-day on-site beta test. SIS is priced to yield ROIs ranging from 4 to 12 months depending on the particulars of the process and consumables. Compared to POR, typical slurry savings of 10 to 55 per-cent have been observed on all rotary polisher models tested.

SIS is a novel slurry injection system through which fresh slurry is applied over the wafer track in a thin film during chemical mechan-ical planarization processes. SIS is totally passive and does not require power or spe-cialized software to be integrated with com-mercial polishers. SIS is placed on top of the pad surface during polishing. This helps to reduce mixing of spent slurry and rinse wa-ter residue with the fresh slurry on the pad

NOVEL SLURRY INJECTION SYSTEM

SYSTEM BENEFITS

Higher Slurry Reduction Objectives and Cost Pressure

COMPARED WITH STANDARD SLURRY APPLICATION METHODS

SIS PROVIDES:

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Standard Application

Slurry Injection System

Standard Application

Slurry Injection System

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Cu Oxide

Blanket 300 mm Copper Polishing

• Oxide CMP• Copper CMP• Barrier CMP

surface and in the pad-wafer interface. SIS also effectively captures foam (due to pres-ence of hydrogen peroxide and surfactants) generated during polishing. Through more efficient slurry delivery, reduced slurry mix-ing and dilution effects and foam capture, SIS achieves higher material removal rates and fewer polishing defects with significantly lower slurry consumption.

APPLICATIONS

SIS is compatible with both acidic and basic slurries (pH values ranging from 4 to 11.5). SIS is also compatible with slurries containing hydrogen peroxide (with volume concentrations of up to 30 %). The SIS has been tested with various oxide, copper and barrier CMP slurries. Excellent results have been observed with slurries such as Klebosol® 30N50 slurry, Cabot Microelec-tronics SS25 slurry, Fujimi PL-4217 slurry, Fujimi PL-7103 slurry, DA Nano Cu3900 slurry, Cabot Microelectronics B7002 slurry and DuPont™ DP6545. Range of flow ratesThe slurry flow rates we have used for SIS range from 50 to 300 ml/min. While SIS can operate above 300 ml/min, typical slurry flow rates are lower than 300 ml/min.

• Higher material removal rate at the same slurry flow rate

• Same material removal rate at a lower slurry flow rate

• Equivalent or lower wafer-level polishing defects

Reduction of Slurry Consumption

700

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Blanket 300 mm TEOS Polishing

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SISStandard Applicator

Chemical Compatibility• Fumed Silica• Colloidal Silica• Device currently under development

for Ceria Slurries

SLURRIES

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The complete SIS-100 RLK hardware for the Applied Reflexion LK polisher consists of an Injector, 3 Mounting Rods, 2 Injector Mounts and a Mounting Bracket. The Injector rests on top of the pad in front of the leading edge of the wafer carrier head.

The 2 Injector Mounts are installed on the Mounting Bracket which is in turn attached to the polisher’s spray bar.

Injector bottom is made of PEEK which is in contact with the pad.

Fresh slurry is applied between the injector bottom and the pad through a thin fluid layer.

Micro-lubrication is reduced (this means higher removal rate). The air interface is eliminated since the slur-ry does not come in contact with air (this means no dry slurry residues). SIS can be configured to inject at multiple points to accommodate pad grooving differences.

SIS is flexible and it conforms to the pad macro-topography as the pad wears over time.

SIS Principle of Operation

PadInjector

Wafer

SIS squeegees the pad and significantly reduces the chances of the following to re-enter the pad-wafer inter-face:

• Residual rinse water.• Used slurry.• Reaction by-products.• Foam.• Pad fragments and

unwanted particles.

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SIS is sold to customers as a kit that can be installed, used and un-installed with maximum ease and effi ciency. Each ‘kit’ is comprised of 1 Mount and 1 Injector unit. The Mount (which also includes the Mounting Rods that connect it to the Injector) is assumed to have a long life

MountingRod - 1

InjectorMount - 2

SlurryDistributionManifold

MountingRod - 2

MountingRod - 3

InjectorMount - 1

(i.e. more than 4 years). The estimated life of each Injec-tor will vary between 3 to 6 months depending on the consumables set and the polishing recipe. Once it has reached EOL, the Injector can be replaced with a brand new one.

SIS Assembly Skid

SIS-100 RLK Confi guration

Slurry Injection PointsFinal confi guration depends on the particular of the process

Injector Unit

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Our ‘Number 1’ goal is to make SIS as simple, and as non-intrusive as possi-ble so as to minimize barriers to entry into IC fabs and provide users with 15 to 55 percent saving in the slurry (or 5 to 15 percent increase in RR).

Easy Integration - Quick and Easy Retrofit Installation

»SIS is a completely passive system - convenient quick and easy installation.

SIS is a completely ‘passive’ system that is easily integrated with an HVM polisher:

• Uses existing slurry plumbing.• Does not require the removal of the

slurry applicator or injector that comes with the polisher.

• Requires no process changes except slurry flow rate or polish time reduction.

• Can be installed and removed rapidly (in less than 5 minutes) for pad changes

• Requires no power.• Does not require changes in the polish-

er software.• Does not require physical modification

of the polisher.• Polisher interlocks do not have to be

disabled.

SIS INSTALLATION

Quick disconnect and three hand screws for pad change

SIS Installed on Applied Reflexion LK Polisher

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“A team is more than the sum of its elements.” If you are looking for a further reduction of your defects, team-up your Slurry Injection System with the worldwide market leader in CMP Slurry pumps, and enjoy:

A Perfect Team-Up – SIS with Levitronix CMP Slurry Pump-Systems

LEVITRONIX® Bearingless Pump

BPS-i100

Bellows PumpDiaphragm PumpLevitronix® BPS-4

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30

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10

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Number of Turnovers200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Particle > 0.56 µm Generated By Different Pumps

NO PARTICLE AGGLOMERATION

• Low shear forces resulting in reduction of large particles.

• Fewer wafer scratches and rip-outs. • Further reduction of overall defect.

DEFECTIVITY vs. NORMALIZED OVERSIZED PARTICLES

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Normalized oversize particles

Maglevcentrifugal

pump

Positive displacementpumps

Maglevcentrifugal

pump

REDUCE CMP DEFECT COUNTS

Optical profi lometry image of NiP-Al disk polished with Eka BindZil Ef70515 based slurry which was recirculated for 48h with a Levitronix® BPS 4 pump.

Optical profi lometry image of NiP-Al disk polished with Eka BindZil Ef70515 based slurry which was recirculated for 48h with a pneumatic Bellows pump.

Positive displacementpumps

Slurry Type = Cabot SS12Tank Volume = 12 LFlow Rate = 30 LPMPressure = 2 Bar

As-received slurry plotted at 1.1 turnovers

Headquarter Levitronix GmbHTechnoparkstr. 1CH-8005 ZurichSwitzerland Phone +41 44 445 19 13Fax +41 44 445 19 14E-Mail sales@levitronix.com

Levitronix Technologies LLC45 First AvenueWaltham, Massachusetts 02451USA

Phone +1 781 622 5070Fax +1 781 622 5090E-Mail ussales@levitronix.com

Levitronix Japan K.K.No. 6 Hata Building2-14-3 Kinshi, SumidakuTokyo, 130-0013 Japan

Phone +81 3 5673 5781Fax +81 3 5673 5781E-Mail japansales@levitronix.com

Levitronix Taiwan5F, No. 251, Dong Sec. 1,Guangming 6th Rd., Chu Pei City,Hsi-Chu 302, Taiwan, R.O.C

Phone +886 3 657 6209Fax +886 988 321472E-Mail asiansales@levitronix.com

LEVITRONIX® The Company

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Levitronix® is the worldwide leader in pumps, mixers and flow control systems for CMP slurry delivery systems.

The unique wear free magnetic levitation technology fits perfectly the needs of state-of-the-art semiconductor manufactering. The patented technology permits the motor and magnetic bearing to be combined into a single unit with products that achieve maximum reliability,

long life, and the ability to convey precious fluids in the harshest of environments. Especially in applications such as CMP slurry, metal plating processes, wet cleaning and etching and high purity fluid transfer and delivery Levitronix® products help to increase productivity and lower costs.

SWISS QUALITY from Zurich, Switzerland.

LEVITRONIX®

Representatives

www.levitronix.com