Effects of chemical mechanical polishing on a porous SiCOH dielectric

Chemical mechanical polish (CMP) of a porous SiCOH dielectric with k value 2.4 was studied, relevant to integrated circuit fabrication. The effects of different liner CMP slurries were compared in studies of direct CMP on the porous SiCOH. A variety of chemical and electrical characterization methods were used to study the dielectric after CMP exposure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed new chemical structures in the dielectric for the case of 1 slurry. Increases in k value and conductivity were observed after direct CMP for all slurries studied. The reversal of these film changes by various energetic treatments was then examined, and treatments were identified to restore the original dielectric k value and conductivity. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.