Two Component Chemical Mechanical Polishing

Abstract

Systems and methods for polishing semiconductor workpieces are provided. In one example, the polishing system includes a platen operable to rotate about an axis. The polishing system further includes a polishing pad on the platen. The polishing system further includes a workpiece carrier operable to bring a semiconductor workpiece into contact with the polishing pad. The polishing pad includes a first zone and a second zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polishing system for a semiconductor workpiece, comprising:
 a platen;   a polishing pad on the platen;   a workpiece carrier operable to bring the semiconductor workpiece into contact with the polishing pad;   a separator fixed to the polishing pad, wherein the separator is operable to separate the polishing pad into a first zone and a second zone; and   a delivery system operable to deliver an oxidizing material to the first zone and an oxide removal material to the second zone such that an oxidation process may be implemented on the semiconductor workpiece in a spatially separated manner relative to an oxide removal process.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a fluid blade operable to inject a separator fluid to separate the first zone from the second zone. 
     
     
         3 . The polishing system of  claim 2 , wherein the separator fluid comprises air, water, liquid, or a gas. 
     
     
         4 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises a lip that protrudes from the polishing pad. 
     
     
         5 . The polishing system of  claim 4 , wherein the lip comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The polishing system of  claim 2 , wherein the separator passes through a center of the polishing pad. 
     
     
         7 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first zone is a different size relative to the second zone. 
     
     
         8 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, potassium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, ammonium persulfate, potassium peroxymonosulfate, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, potassium periodate, and/or potassium persulfate. 
     
     
         9 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide removal material comprises one or more of abrasive elements provided as part of a slurry. 
     
     
         10 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first zone comprises an oxidizing material on the polishing pad in the first zone. 
     
     
         11 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the second zone comprises one or more abrasive elements, wherein the one or more abrasive elements comprise one or more of: (i) diamond; (ii) ceramic; (iii) metal nitride; (iv) metal oxide, (v) metal carbide; (vi) metalloid nitride; (vii) metalloid oxide; (viii) metalloid carbide; (ix) carbon group nitride; (x) carbon group oxide; or (xi) carbon group carbide. 
     
     
         12 . The polishing system of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing system comprises a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system. 
     
     
         13 . A polishing system for a semiconductor workpiece, comprising:
 a platen;   a workpiece carrier operable to bring a semiconductor workpiece into contact with the platen;   a control system, the control system configured to control an actuator to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 activating an oxidation process on the semiconductor workpiece for a first process period; and 
 activating an oxide removal process on the semiconductor workpiece for a second process period. 
   
     
     
         14 . The polishing system of  claim 13 , wherein there is no time overlap between the first process period and the second process period. 
     
     
         15 . The polishing system of  claim 13 , wherein the first process period and the second process period are separated by a time interval. 
     
     
         16 . The polishing system of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator comprises a delivery system, wherein the control system is configured to control the delivery system to provide an oxidation material to a surface of the platen during the first process period and to provide an oxide removal material to the surface of the platen during the second process period. 
     
     
         17 . The polishing system of  claim 16 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises insert list. 
     
     
         18 . The polishing system of  claim 16 , wherein the oxide removal material comprises one or more of insert list. 
     
     
         19 . The polishing system of  claim 13 , wherein the polishing system comprises a delivery system operable to deliver an actuatable material to the platen. 
     
     
         20 . A method for polishing a surface of a workpiece, the method comprising:
 providing a surface of a workpiece on a platen;   imparting relative motion between the platen and the workpiece;   providing an oxidizing material to the platen;   providing an oxide removal material to the platen in a time separated manner or a spatial separated manner relative to providing the oxidizing material to the platen.