Out of several hundred steps in the semiconductor chip manufacturing process, Diamonex has specifically focused on engineered pad conditioners for the CMP process steps. CMP is a critical process in wafer fabrication and is used multiple times during the manufacture of semiconductor wafers.  It is a precise, challenging, and critical step to the improved performance of the final device.  Yield degradation is a critical concern for the process engineers and defects on the surface of the wafers can cause significant problems.  Our CVD Diamond creates a working surface that provides less variation, maintains uniform pad wear, and extends pad life.

The conditioner design influences the texture of the pads, and this in turn affects yield and productivity in the chip fabrication process.  As electronic devices become ever smaller and integrated circuits become increasingly complex, conditioning materials must evolve to meet new demands in the market.

With over 46 patents granted, Diamonex® is committed to excellence in its field and has dedicated resources to developing more advanced products to fit a constantly evolving market. We are able to customize your conditioner to meet soft, medium, or hard pad requirements, as well as working with a variety of slurry combinations.

To review test data pertinent to your specific CMP process conditions, contact us today.

INTENDED FOR ADVANCED PROCESS NODES

Non-Gritted CMP Pad Conditioners

DIAMONEX PHOENIX® EDGE PAD CONDITIONERS

An Engineered Solution for Controlling Pad Texture

The Phoenix® Edge pad conditioner produces highly consistent and fine pad texture. This patented technology is used in the most demanding CMP applications, including wafer fabrication at the most advanced nodes.

Phoenix® Edge pad conditioners produce CMP pads with significantly smaller asperities and more consistent pad texture than pad conditioners utilizing traditional diamond crystals or grit.  Because contact is made by the edges of precisely-machined elevated surfaces coated with CVD diamond, rather than diamond grit, the Phoenix® Edge pad conditioners provide consistent performance in all regions of the pad throughout the long life of each conditioner, and from conditioner to conditioner.

Constructed of an engineered ceramic substrate and coated with Diamonex® CVD diamond coating, the Phoenix® Edge pad conditioners are an engineered solution for controlling pad texture.  The edges can be arranged in spiral or concentric patterns, with specifically engineered dimensions, to produce the required pad texture that will optimize CMP performance for each application. The ceramic substrate allows improved design flexibility in shape, size, and features, while maintaining tight dimensional tolerances.

FEATURES

  • Increases pad life 3-5X
  • Reduces defects, dishing, and erosion
  • No diamond grit – diamond surface is one continuous film
  • Raised vanes provide cutting edges
  • CVD diamond coating
  • More consistent, smoother pad texture with fewer large asperities
  • Low pad cut rate with improved material removal rate
  • Inert contact surface is especially effective in low pH chemistries, such as tungsten and coppers slurries
  • Engineered, patented, high purity reaction-bonded SiC (RBSiC) ceramic substrate
  • Provides a complimentary coefficient of thermal expansion for coating adhesion and flatness

DIAMONEX PHOENIX® EDGE PLUS PAD CONDITIONERS

An Engineered Solution for Controlling Pad Texture for Hard Pads

The Phoenix® Edge plus is a patent pending hybrid conditioner design using the edge cutting design of the Phoenix® Edge conditioner with a few point cutting features to aid in the cutting of harder pads.  Diamonex offers the ability to customize the working features in order to optimize the performance of the edge plus pad conditioners.

AGGRESSIVE CONDITIONERS INTENDED FOR HIGH RATE REMOVAL PROCESSES

Gritted CMP Pad Conditioners

The patented Diamonex® CMP gritted Phoenix® conditioners are based on a unique process of bonding diamond grit to a substrate by depositing a conformal layer of diamond over the substrate by a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process. This process results in an all-diamond surface that provides superior diamond retention by chemically bonding the diamond grit to the substrate. Unlike conventional gritted conditioners, this all-diamond surface is also chemically inert to all CMP slurries, eliminating grit pullout due to corrosion or wear. In addition, the high-hardness CVD diamond layer prevents mechanical erosion of the bond matrix.

The Phoenix conditioners have also been designed to provide the highest percentage of working grit available. Working grit is defined as the percentage of diamond grit that actually makes contact with the pad. Maintaining uniform diamond exposure and a flat substrate maximizes working grit. A high percentage of working grit provides more stable conditioner performance since the percentage of diamond grit does not change dramatically during the life of the conditioner.  Diamond height variability of competitive conditioners leads to a smaller diamond surface area touching the pad, decreasing cut rate over time and resulting in shorter disk life.

Our segmented Phoenix® II conditioner is a lower cost option, allowing for a variety of budgets while still delivering optimized performance.

 

FEATURES

  • High purity reaction-bonded SiC (RBSiC) ceramic substrate
  • Engineered for extreme flatness
  • Customized diamond grit size and densities
  • CVD diamond coating protects substrate from corrosion and erosion and provides additional cutting edges
  • Stable pad cut rate
  • Customized pad texture
  • Inert to all process chemistries
  • No contamination of slurry
  • Suitable for use with Cu, W, and STI processes
  • Diamond grit abrasive available in 35, 50, 75μm