Metrologies of abrasive behaviors for understanding and upgrading CMP process

Laser scanning confocal fluorescent microscopy and the friction mode of Atomic Force Microscopy were adopted as metrologies of abrasive behaviors and removal force during polishing and cleaning processes As small as a diameter of 50nm silica particle can be individually detected and spatial distribution of particles in three dimensional space also clearly observed using the fluorescent microscopy. The fine particle removal force was able to measure using the friction mode of AFM. Accurate force was quantified by calibrating torsion spring constant of an AFM cantilever using a MEMS micro-force sensor with the particles attached to the sensor probe.