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CALL FOR PAPERS ABSTRACT DEADLINE: August 15, 2010 Topic: Issues Facing the Hard Drive CMP Industry Meeting Date: September 15, 2010 Download information (29k doc)

4th Annual NCCAVS/CMPUG SEMICON West Conference 2010
Moscone Convention Center
South Hall - TechSITE
July 14, 2010

ADMISSION: Admission to attend SEMICON West is required to attend the TechSITE sessions. The current cost is $100 - Exhibits Only badge. Register for a badge: at www.semi.org or at www.semiconwest.org/Participate/RegisterNow/index.htm.

Topic: New Frontiers for CMP

Meeting Date: July 14, 2010
Meeting Time: 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Meeting Sponsored by:

Agenda:
1:00-1:10 Welcome/Introduction

1:10-1:40 Taking Sides in the 450mm Wafer Debate
- Robert Castellano, The Information Network
Abstract: We see four camps strategically focused on the debate for the semiconductor industry to move from 300mm wafers to 450mm wafers.
Camp 1 - Sematech, which is spearheading the charge for 450 mm. Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (Sematech), is an association of member companies cooperating precompetitively in key areas of semiconductor technology whose members make up 50% of the worldwide chip market. Members are Intel, IBM, Micron, Hewlett-Packard, National Semiconductor, Globalfoundries, NEC, Samsung, Renesas, Toshiba, Infineon, UMC, and TSMC. Sematech is targeting 450-mm ''demonstration'' tools for the 32-nm node and ''pilot tools'' at 22-nm.
Camp 2 - EEMI-450, which is pushing for 450mm development in Europe. The objective of the ENIAC EEMI-450 and CASA-450 programs is "to improve the competitiveness of the European semiconductor equipment and materials industry and therefore increase the chances to be selected by the tier 1 semiconductor companies in their future 450-mm operations," according to a presentation from Bas Van Nooten, director of European cooperative programs for ASM International NV (Almere, The Netherlands), who has been acting as a spokesman for EEMI-450. A steering committee for EEMI-405 has been formed with representatives from ASM International, ASML Holding NV, Siltronic AG, Soitec SA, IMEC, Recif Technologies SA, Fraunhofer Institut of Integrated Systems and Device Technology (Fraunhofer-IISB) and two representatives from Intel.
Camp 3 - Large non-European semiconductor equipment manufacturers, including Applied, Novellus, Lam, TEL and others, have publicly slammed the idea of the 450-mm wafer transition.
Camp 4 - SEMI, a consortium of worldwide equipment and materials manufacturers who, in anticipation of 450mm acceptance, is setting standards such as the SEMI M74 standard, which relates to wafer transport and handling for IC manufacturing and is intended to support R&D for design investigation of wafer carriers, load ports, AMHS, and robotics for early 450mm equipment development.
This talk will address the implications of 450mm adoption for both equipment and semiconductor manufacturers. Discussions will center on economic issues and costs.

1:40-2:10 Urethane Phoenix Rising - CMP Pads and Conditioners
- Michael A. Fury, Techcet Group, LLC
Abstract: With April, 2010 setting a new record for global semiconductor sales, it almost seems a bit pointless to talk about the recession that most of us have just survived. Unfortunately, the 2008-2009 recession has left some permanent marks behind that will alter the CMP consumables forecasts for the next several years. From a 2007 peak of $1.56B, the combined slurry and pad revenue for 2009 dropped to about $1.40B. Recovery to 2007 levels is not expected until 2012, even though chip volumes will recover this year. The revenue lag is due to the combined effects of slurry dilution and new pad competitors, both residual effects of the recession. This talk will update the market information presented each year for the CMP consumables supply chain.

The pad market, dominated by a single supplier since the dawn of CMP, is starting to yield to customer pull and competitor push, exhibiting signs of multi-supplier behavior. Several contenders poised to grab market share will be discussed, along with the industry’s more aggressive pursuit of less aggressive pad conditioning.

2:10-2:40 A Completely New Playing Field - Slurry, PCMP & Others
- Karey Holland, Techcet Group, LLC
Abstract: Based on increased numbers of CMP steps per wafer start and increased use of CMP at new nodes, at one time the slurry market was projected to approach $1.5B in 2010. The current 2010 forecast for slurry is down about 30% from that high. Today there are >30 suppliers active in the CMP slurry market, adding greatly to slurry pricing pressure. Add to this the 2008-09 downturn, which changed everything; fabs had tool time and were financially driven to optimize slurry dilution and/or reduce abrasives content. Each CMP application has a different market leader. Good for fabs, stressful for the suppliers.

2:40-3:10 Inducstry Challenges for CMP
- Mike Corbett, Linx Consulting
Abstract: This paper will start by reviewing the current and projected markets for CMP. IT will then review the industry structure for CMP applications, tools, and consumables. Finally it will examine likely industry evolution and key challenges facing the industry given structure and investment considerations for suppliers.

3:10-3:30 Networking/BREAK

3:30-4:00 An analysis of potential 450 mm chemical-mechanical planarization tool scaling questions
- Leonard Borucki, Ara Philipossian, Araca, Inc.; Michael Goldstein, Intel Corp.
Abstract: Several semiconductor manufacturers are engaged in developing 450 mm wafers program. Since this would involve a significant investment in tools and fabrication facilities, questions naturally arise about whether tools that are currently used for 300 mm could in some cases simply be scaled up and whether there are any problems created by doing this. For example, in chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) processes, would rotary tool scaling to 450 mm lead to dangerous heating of the pad or wafer? Would slurry costs become prohibitive due to the increase in pad area? Could the polishing pad still be conditioned in the same way? We investigated many of these questions for an example CMP process run on a hypothetical 450 mm rotary polisher. For comparison, identical simulations were also run for similarly configured 200 mm and 300 mm tools.

Araca, Inc developed the specialized programs that were employed. The software implements many of the key physical models needed for tool-scale CMP studies. For example, we use a three-dimensional load and moment balance model to simulate rough surface contact between the wafer and retaining ring and the pad. This makes it possible to estimate the slurry film thickness distribution under the retaining ring and the wafer. Since slurry has a high capacity to absorb heat, this is important for getting the correct wafer and ring temperatures. The software also has a model for the injection of slurry at multiple points onto plain (un-grooved) pads that have rough surface textures and for the subsequent flow over the pad, under the retaining ring and wafer, and ultimately off of the platen. A three-dimensional thermal model simulates frictional heat generation by the wafer and retaining ring and the transport and transfer of heat throughout the tool by the slurry and by the rotation of the polishing head and the platen.

Simulations suggest that if polishing pressure, relative sliding speed and mean slurry thickness are held constant when scaling to 450 mm, then slurry consumption will increase moderately and the wafer and pad temperature will be essentially unchanged. Because it is necessary to decrease the platen rotation rate to keep the speed constant, it is predicted that there will be an increase in the flash temperature at contacting summits, which may affect uniformity in chemically sensitive processes. The most difficult problem, however, is how to condition a much larger pad within the fixed time allotted to each polishing step.

4:00-4:30 A Closer Look at the China CMP World - Report from the Other Side of the Globe
- Shumin Wang, Anji Microelectronics, Inc.
Abstract: This presentation provides an overview of the China CMP world – market dynamics, technology trends, business opportunities, challenges and limitations faced. A more detailed review of the CMP evolution in China, as well as challenges of new CMP technology development and cost concerns will be unveiled. Some observation around cost reduction strategy will be brought up. Finally a discussion will be carried out around what the Chinese IC market needs in the area of CMP and what we can do to help.

4:30-5:00 BASF Soft Particles for Metal CMP
- Claus Poppe and Vijay Raman, BASF Microelectronics Materials
Abstract: The semiconductor industry is poised to meet the challenges from the society for smaller, faster, smarter, more energy efficient electronics by producing ever advanced semiconductor devices with sub-22 nm features (More Moore), integrating diverse functions into single package (More than Moore), and embracing the arrival of new technology platforms beyond CMOS. In the Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) front, these challenges translate into lower tolerance for defects on polished surface, higher demand for precision in selectivity among dissimilar materials present in complex structures, and greater diversity in new materials and structures to be polished.

At BASF, we are addressing these challenges by developing CMP slurries with well balanced chemical and mechanical strengths based on our deep chemical know-how in polymer, surfactant, dispersion, and interfacial phenomena. In this talk, a brief overview of the BASF Advanced Materials organization and our innovative approach to the industry challenges in the area of CMP, post CMP clean, and wet deposition will be given. The discussion will then focus on our unique approach to the development of metal CMP slurry. More specifically, the use of functionalized polymer particles to replace the conventional silica particles has been extensively investigated. It is important to point out that the functions of those silica particles are not limited to their abrasiveness. During the polishing, the silica particles are also responsible for carrying the polishing debris away, modulating the chemical composition at the interface, and sometimes influencing the passivation film formation. Therefore, the design and application of these soft organic polymer particles must take all these functional aspects into account.

In this talk, some design principles will be illustrated in terms of achieving the right balance between chemical and mechanical strengths of the polymer particles. The experimental results from fundamental investigation into the interactions among polymer particles, slurry components, and wafer surfaces will be presented. The link between these interfacial phenomena and CMP performance will be discussed.

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities available at NCCAVS User Group Meetings!
For details please contact Heather Korff, NCCAVS Office, 530-896-0477, heather@avs.org.