Abstract

In the evaluation of the surface condition of polishing pads in Semiconductor CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization), the objective was to elucidate the polishing mechanism of the pad surface state that enhances the polishing rate through the frictional force between the wafer and various polishing pad conditions．As a result, it was found that the chemical factor influencing the frictional force between the SiO₂ film and the pad is attributed to the generation of SiOH (silanol groups) under SiO₂ film polish. Silanol groups attach to polar molecules of polyurethane in the pad, which makes the pad slide on the SiO₂ film. In the case that Si surface is polished by the pad attached to the silanol groups, the frictional force increases because the silanol groups on the pad surface are removed by the Si surface during polishing..