A low cost and residue-free abrasive-free copper CMP process with low dishing, erosion and oxide loss

Traditional slurry copper (Cu) CMP processes have disadvantages in terms of dishing, erosion, Cu and oxide losses, micro-scratches and cost due in part to the presence of abrasive particles during polishing. A stable abrasive-free (AF) Cu CMP process and a low-abrasive barrier removal process have been developed. With these processes it has been possible to repeatably demonstrate metal-residue free wafers with low dishing, low erosion, low metal and oxide losses, over-polishing insensitivity, and low cost.