Kyle Neil Miller

US Patent:

20030124959, Jul 3, 2003

Filed:

Sep 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/246280

Inventors:

David Schroeder - Aurora IL, US
Phillip Carter - Naperville IL, US
Jeffrey Chamberlain - Aurora IL, US
Kyle Miller - Oswego IL, US
Isaac Cherian - Aurora IL, US

Assignee:

Cabot Microelectronics Corporation - Aurora IL

International Classification:

B24B001/00

US Classification:

451/041000

Abstract:

The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising a metal layer comprising copper. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a chemical-mechanical polishing system comprising a liquid carrier, a polishing pad, an abrasive, and a negatively-charged polymer or copolymer, (ii) contacting the substrate with the poloshing system and (iii) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the metal layer of the substrate. The negatively-charged polymer or copolymer comprises one or more monomers selected from sulfonic acids, sulfonates, sulfates, phosphonic acids, phosphonates, and phosphates, has a molecular weight of about 20,000 g/mol or more, and coats at least a portion of the abrasive such that the abrasive has a zeta potential value that is lowered upon interaction of the negatively-charged polymer or copolymer with the abrasive.