Use of chemical mechanical polishing in micromachining

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871820

Nasby, Robert D ^[1]; Hetherington, Dale L ^[1]; Sniegowski, Jeffry J ^[1]; McWhorter, Paul J ^[1]; Apblett, Christopher A ^[2]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Cedar Crest, NM

A process for removing topography effects during fabrication of micromachines. A sacrificial oxide layer is deposited over a level containing functional elements with etched valleys between the elements such that the sacrificial layer has sufficient thickness to fill the valleys and extend in thickness upwards to the extent that the lowest point on the upper surface of the oxide layer is at least as high as the top surface of the functional elements in the covered level. The sacrificial oxide layer is then polished down and planarized by chemical-mechanical polishing. Another layer of functional elements is then formed upon this new planarized surface.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 5804084
• OSTI ID: 871820
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

chemical
mechanical
polishing
micromachining
process
removing
topography
effects
fabrication
micromachines
sacrificial
oxide
layer
deposited
level
containing
functional
elements
etched
valleys
sufficient
thickness
fill
extend
upwards
extent
lowest
upper
surface
top
covered
polished
planarized
chemical-mechanical
formed
chemical-mechanical polishing
sufficient thickness
top surface
upper surface
oxide layer
sacrificial oxide
functional elements
mechanical polishing
sacrificial layer
/216/438/