Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Ceria containing slurries are increasingly used in the chemical mechanical polishing of CVD silicon oxide films to obtain STI structures. Unlike silica or alumina, ceria has redox characteristics. Because of this characteristic, removal of ceria particles from planarized surfaces may be possible using chemical reagents that can participate in redox reactions. One such reagent is hydroxylamine, which is already being used in copper CMP. The objective of the work reported in this paper was to characterize the reaction between ceria and hydroxylamine, especially with respect to dissolution of ceria particles. A kinetic study of the dissolution of ceria in hydroxylamine solutions maintained at various pH values has been performed. The extent and kinetics of dissolution of ceria has been determined by ICPMS. Removal of ceria particles from oxide surfaces using hydroxylamine-based chemistries has been investigated.