Mecapol E 460

The STEAG Mecapol E 460 is a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) tool designed for the polishing and planarization of wafers. The system is semi-automatic and is compatible with 4-inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch wafers. Other wafer sizes or chips can be processed by bonding them to a carrier wafer.^[1]

The Mecapol E 460 operates by rotating the wafer against a polishing pad while a slurry is dispensed onto the pad. The tool is equipped with two pumps for slurry delivery, allowing different slurry chemistries to be used for different materials. An ex-situ conditioning system is included to maintain the pad's surface quality.^[1]

The tool provides separate sets of consumables for microelectronic layer polishing and for copper polishing, allowing the same tool to be used for different processes without cross-contamination. Process parameters such as polishing duration, pad rotation speed, polishing head rotation speed, and polishing head pressure are controlled by the operator.^[1]

In a semiconductor fabrication flow, the Mecapol E 460 is used for planarization steps, typically following deposition processes and preceding photolithography. The tool is used for polishing oxide, silicon, and metal layers, with the ability to switch between different consumable sets for different material types.^[1]

The Mecapol E 460 is used for dielectric polishing, silicon polishing, and metal polishing. Available slurries include a basic colloidal silica slurry for dielectric polishing, an acid colloidal silica slurry for dielectric and metal polishing, and a basic slurry for silicon polishing that is diluted with water.^[1]

For oxide polishing, the typical removal rate on a thermal oxide is between 2600 and 2800 angstroms per minute, with targets of a thickness range less than 500 angstroms. The removal rate can be 2 to 5 times higher on deposited oxides. Silicon polishing after grinding typically removes 8 to 10 micrometers in 10 minutes, though the rate varies with initial roughness.^[1]