Application of the stribeck+ curve in silicon dioxide chemical mechanical planarization

The Stribeck+ curve was successfully applied to silicon dioxide chemical mechanical planarization processes to characterize the tribology of such processes under different process conditions and consumables. Results showed that the Stribeck+ curve was capable of rapidly determining and differentiating the tribological mechanism among all cases studied in this manuscript. The Stribeck+ curve could indicate process stability as shown by the spread of the COF vertical clusters. The Stribeck+ curve also confirmed a previously known effect that the greater the ratio of pad’s up-features to the total pad area, the greater the probability of wafer hydroplaning. This work underscore the importance of a new method for determining an “improved” Stribeck curve (referred as the “Stribeck+ curve”) while dramatically reducing the amount of consumables and time required to obtain the curve through traditional means.