Naga Chandrasekaran

Challenges in 3D memory manufacturing and process integration

Memory industry transition from planar to 3D scaling and the introduction of several new emerging memory devices into manufacturing over the next decade is going to drive several new and unique manufacturing and process integration challenges. The inflection point we are faced with is a new paradigm where advancements in materials science, non-litho equipment technology, testing and characterization methods, and control methodologies will lead the way for scaling cadence.

Effect of Ceria Particle-Size Distribution and Pressure Interactions in Chemo-Mechanical Polishing (CMP) of Dielectric Materials

Effect of ceria particle-size distribution and pressure interactions in CMP of dielectric materials and the subsequent surface generation mechanisms is investigated in detail. The removal rate is observed to correlate primarily with the slurry mean particle-size distribution (D50) and reach early rate saturation with decreasing particle size. Slurries with tighter particlesize distribution exhibit a logarithmic relationship with pressure, while a linear relationship is observed for wider distribution slurries. In contrast to the removal rate, surface roughness and degree of microscratches depend primarily on the tail distribution (D99) and increase with increasing particle size. The addition of a selective component to the slurry increases the rate differential between the slurries.