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Controlled Synthesis of Triangular Submicron-Sized CeO2 and Its Polishing Performance
Xingzi Wang1,2,3, Ning Wang1,2,3, Zhenyu Zhang1,2,3
1National Engineering Research Center for Rare Earth, GRIREM Advanced Materials Co., Ltd., Beijing 100088, China.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 11, 2024
Summary
Novel triangular cerium dioxide (CeO2) abrasives were synthesized for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP). Optimized morphology, not just Ce3+ concentration, significantly enhances polishing performance, challenging conventional approaches.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Cerium dioxide (CeO2) is a critical abrasive in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) for semiconductor manufacturing.
- Polishing performance is influenced by CeO2 properties like morphology, particle size, crystallinity, and Ce3+ concentration.
- Current CMP slurry development often focuses on smaller, spherical abrasive particles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel CeO2 abrasives with controlled morphology and Ce3+ concentration.
- To investigate the impact of CeO2 morphology versus Ce3+ concentration on polishing performance.
- To compare the performance of synthesized CeO2 abrasives with commercial slurries.
Main Methods:
- Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis using high-concentration raw materials.
- Synthesis of two novel triangular CeO2 abrasive types with similar particle sizes (600 nm) but varying morphologies and Ce3+ concentrations.
- Characterization of abrasive properties and evaluation of polishing performance on Si wafers.
Main Results:
- Synthesized triangular CeO2 abrasives achieved a high polishing rate of 324 nm/min.
- CeO2 synthesized at 200 °C, despite lower Ce3+ concentration, showed superior polishing performance.
- Surface roughness (Sa) of Si wafers decreased by 3.6% after polishing with synthesized CeO2.
- Synthesized CeO2 abrasives outperformed commercial polishing slurries.
Conclusions:
- CeO2 abrasive morphology plays a dominant role in mechanical effects during CMP, even with similar particle sizes.
- High Ce3+ concentration is not the sole determinant of superior polishing performance.
- Optimized CeO2 shape and particle size offer a better balance between material removal rate and surface roughness in CMP, suggesting non-spherical abrasives are viable.
