PROCESSES FOR FORMING ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING POLISHING METAL-CONTAINING LAYERS

• Main Authors: WEDLAKE MICHAEL, NAUERT CHRIS A, BRANNON CHRISTOPHER E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.06.2011
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS; GRINDING; MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POLISHING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TRANSPORTING

A process of forming an electronic device can include providing a workpiece. The workpiece can include a substrate, an interlevel dielectric overlying the substrate, a refractory-metal-containing layer over the interlevel dielectric, and a first metal-containing layer over the refractory-metal-containing layer. The first metal-containing layer can include a metal element other than a refractory metal element. The process further includes polishing the first metal-containing layer and the refractory-metal-containing layer as a continuous action to expose the interlevel dielectric. In one embodiment, the metal element can include copper, nickel, or a noble metal. In another embodiment, polishing can be performed using a selectivity agent to reduce the amount of the interlevel dielectric removed.