JP2003347258A - Polishing method and polishing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively manufacture a plurality of kinds of semiconductor products. <P>SOLUTION: On the basis of mask data of a semiconductor wafer of a product kind [A] which has been worked and on the basis of a residual film thickness value which is actually measured, a value of a parameter contained in a basic formula is determined so as to regenerate the characteristic of CMP equipment (S202). By using mask data of a semiconductor wafer of a product kind [B] which becomes an object to be worked and using the basic formula whose parameter value is determined in S202, the optimum polishing time of the semiconductor wafer of the product kind [B] is estimated (S203). After that, an optimum polishing time is estimated by performing similar processing every time when kinds of products to be worked are changed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing process, and more particularly to a technique for efficiently producing a plurality of types of products in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is used for a planarization process of a semiconductor wafer.
ing) applies. As a technique for determining the end point of CMP for a semiconductor wafer, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-5235 is disclosed.
The technology described in JP-A-86-86, the technology described in JP-T-2001-501545, and the technology described in JP-A-11-186204 are known. The technology described in JP 2001-523586 A includes a polishing time by comparing an experimental result of CMP with a simulated result (for example, a film thickness profile representing a change in film thickness with the passage of polishing time). This is to optimize the modeling parameters. In addition, the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-501545 determines a linear estimation factor based on the measured thickness of a wafer before and after polishing, and adjusts the polishing time for the next wafer with the linear estimation factor. Further, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-186204 calculates the latest polishing rate from the difference in film thickness before and after polishing of a semiconductor wafer in a lot and the polishing time, and sets the latest polishing time for the semiconductor wafer in the next lot. And the required polishing amount.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-523586, it is necessary to repeat the simulation and polishing of the CMP every time the product type of the product to be produced is switched. Therefore, when this technology is applied to a semiconductor process, it is difficult to efficiently produce a plurality of types of semiconductor products.

Further, in the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-501545 and the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-186204, switching of the product type of a product to be produced is not considered. For this reason, these technologies cannot be applied as they are when the product type of the product to be produced is switched.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable efficient production of a plurality of types of semiconductor products.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a polishing system for polishing a first type of workpiece and a second type of workpiece created based on mutually different design data. The dimensions correlated with the shape of the previously polished first type of workpiece are measured prior to polishing of the second type of workpiece, and the measured values, the design data of the first type of workpiece, and the second type of workpiece are measured. Based on the design data of the workpiece, the polishing time of the workpiece of the second type is calculated.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, a schematic configuration of a polishing system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

This polishing system comprises a CMP apparatus 915 for polishing a semiconductor wafer carried in from a carry-in system 91,
A CMP device controller 914 that controls the device 915;
A film thickness gauge that measures the remaining film thickness on the surface of a polished semiconductor wafer
(Here, an optical film thickness meter) 930, a film thickness meter controller 931 for controlling the film thickness meter 930, an output of the film thickness meter 930, and design data (GDSII format mask data) of a semiconductor circuit of a new product type. Information processing device 911, storage 912, display device 910 for displaying output data of information processing device 911, input device for receiving data input from user (mouse, keyboard, etc.) 920, a server 91 that provides, when the processing target is switched to a new product type, design data of a semiconductor circuit on a semiconductor wafer of the new product type to the information processing device 911 via the communication line 111.
3 is included. The storage 912 includes software defining the polishing time prediction processing executed by the information processing device 911 and data necessary for the polishing time prediction processing executed by the information processing device 911 (a basic expression for simulating the characteristics of the CMP apparatus). Parameter initial values, the coordinates of the center of gravity of the divided area defined on the chip, etc.) are installed in advance from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or via the communication line 111.

In the present embodiment, an optical film thickness meter is used as the film thickness meter 930 of the polishing system, but it is not always necessary to do so. For example, instead of the optical film thickness meter, any one of a stylus film thickness meter, an electric resistance measurement film thickness meter and a scanning electron microscope may be used. A combination of two or more of a thickness gauge, an electrical resistance gauge and a scanning electron microscope may be used.

Next, an example of a product type to be processed by the polishing system of FIG. 8 will be described.

Test chips are formed on the semiconductor wafer of each product type to be processed. Wirings 400 are formed on the test chips of the semiconductor wafers of the respective product types using an exposure mask pattern as shown in FIG. 5, and an oxide film 401 having a predetermined film thickness H0 is formed on the wirings 400. Has been deposited. On the surface of the oxide film 401,
Since a step h0 having a height substantially equal to the thickness of the wiring 400 is generated, the oxide film 401 is to be polished in the polishing process performed by the polishing system of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the test chip 31 formed on the semiconductor wafer of each product type is virtually divided into a plurality of regions 32, and the identification number of each divided region 32
(j = 1, 2,..., m) and the corresponding information of the barycentric coordinates rj are stored in the storage 901 in advance. 10mm ×
If the test chip is 10 mm, for example, 10,000
The chip may be divided into a plurality of 100 μm × 100 μm square areas (see FIG. 4). Then, a plurality (n) of coordinates are selected from the barycentric coordinates of these divided regions,
These coordinates are also stored in the storage 901 in advance as the coordinates of the position measured by the film thickness meter. Next, an outline of a polishing process performed using the polishing system of FIG. 8 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a case where the product type of the semiconductor wafer to be processed is switched from “A” to “B” and further switched from “B” to “C” will be described as an example.

Under the control of the controller 914, the CMP
The apparatus 915 sequentially polishes semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “A” (S200). After that, when a predetermined number (a plurality of) of semiconductor wafers are randomly selected as film thickness measurement targets from among the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “A”, the information processing device 911 sets the coordinates of the measurement position. Is read from the storage, and a command including those coordinates is given to the film thickness gauge controller 931. In the present embodiment, four points are measured by the film thickness meter, and four coordinates r _s , r _k , r _l ,
command including a r _m is the be given in the film thickness meter controller 931. Thickness gauge controller 931, four coordinates r _s contained in this command, r _k, r _l, the measurement position determined by r _m, respectively remaining film thickness of the surface of each film thickness measurement target semiconductor wafer The measurement is performed (S201). In this case, the thickness measurement target is selected from among the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “A”, but all the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “A” are subjected to the thickness measurement. You may make it.

The information processing apparatus 911 has received all of the thickness of the measuring object the measurement data through the thickness gauge controller 931, coordinates r _s of the measurement position, r _k, r _l, for each r _m, all Average value He of measured data of film thickness measurement target
(1), He (2), He (3), He (4) are calculated, and their average values are stored in the storage 912 as actual measured film thickness data at each measurement position.

Thereafter, the design data a (GDSII format) of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “A”, the parameter initial values of the product type “A”, and the measured film thickness data H at each measurement position
e (1), He (2), He (3), He (4) are stored in the storage 91.
2 and the CMP device 9 based on these data.
15 polishing characteristics are reproduced. Specifically, the polishing characteristics of the CMP apparatus 915 are set so that the error function between the simulation result obtained using the design data a of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “A” and the actually measured film thickness data at each measurement position is minimized. Are determined (S202).

When the parameter values are determined in this way, the information processing device 911 transmits a request for transmitting the next data to be processed to the server 913. In response to the transmission request, the server 913 transmits the design data b (GDS) of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “B” to be processed next.
When the information processing device 911 returns the data and the parameter initial value, the information processing device 911 stores the data in the storage 912, and the design data b of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “B” and the basic formula that determines the parameter value in S202. The optimal polishing time of the semiconductor wafer belonging to the product type “B” (polishing time until the remaining film thickness on the surface of the semiconductor wafer is reduced to an expected value) is predicted by using (S203). Information processing device 9
The storage 11 stores the optimum polishing time predicted at this time in the storage 912, and reads out the optimum polishing time from the storage 912 at an appropriate timing, and gives it to the CMP device controller 914. Thus, under the control of the CMP apparatus controller 914, the CMP apparatus 915 polishes the semiconductor wafer belonging to the product type “B” for the optimal polishing time.
(S204).

After that, when a predetermined number (a plurality of) of semiconductor wafers are randomly selected from among the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “B” as film thickness measurement targets, the information processing device 911 sets coordinates r _s of the measurement position of the _{point, r k, r l, r} m
Are read from storage and their coordinates r _s , r _k , r _l ,
It gives a command containing the r _m in thickness meter controller 931.
Thickness gauge controller 931, the coordinate r _s contained in this command, r _k, r _l, the measurement position determined by r _m, measuring the remaining film thickness on the surface of each film thickness measurement target semiconductor wafer
(S205). In this case, the thickness measurement target is selected from among the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “B”, but all the polished semiconductor wafers belonging to the product type “B” are subjected to the thickness measurement. You may make it.

The information processing apparatus 911 has received all of the thickness of the measuring object the measurement data through the thickness gauge controller 931, coordinates r _s of the measurement position, r _k, r _l, for each r _m, all Average value He of measured data of film thickness measurement target
(1), He (2), He (3), He (4) are calculated, and their average values He (1), He (2), He (3), He (4) are calculated at each measurement position. Storage 912 as measured film thickness data in
To be stored.

After that, the information processing device 911 sets the design data b and the parameter initial values of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “B” to be processed next, and the measured film thickness data He (1), He ( 2), He (3), and He (4) are read from the storage 912, and a CM is read based on these data.
Reproduce the polishing characteristics of the P device. Specifically, product type "B"
The parameter values included in the basic equation simulating the polishing characteristics of the CMP apparatus are set so that the error function between the simulation result obtained using the design data b of the semiconductor circuit of FIG. Determine (S2
06).

When the parameter values are determined in this way, the information processing device 911 transmits a data transmission request for the next processing target to the server 913. In response to the transmission request, the server 913 transmits the design data c (GDS) of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “C” to be processed next.
(II format) and the parameter initial values, the information processing device 911 stores the data in the storage 912, and also uses the design data c of the product type “C” and the basic formula that defines the parameters in S206. ,
The optimal polishing time of the semiconductor wafer belonging to the product type “C” is predicted (S207). The information processing apparatus 911 temporarily stores the optimum polishing time predicted at this time in the storage 912, and when appropriate timing, the storage 912
And gives it to the CMP device controller 914. Thus, under the control of the CMP apparatus controller 914, the CMP apparatus 915 polishes the semiconductor wafer belonging to the product type “C” for the optimal polishing time.

Thereafter, when the processing object is further switched from “C” to another product type, the information processing device 911 sends
The same processing as in steps S205 to S207 is executed.

According to such processing, when the product type to be processed is switched, the parameters of the basic formula are determined based on the design data of the processed product type and the actually measured film thickness data,
The optimum polishing time of the product type to be newly processed can be predicted using the basic formula. This prediction result is C
By feeding forward to the MP process,
There is no need to perform a CMP experiment in advance to determine the optimal polishing time for a new product type. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly switch the product type to be processed by the CMP apparatus. Therefore, the polishing system according to the present embodiment,
When applied to a planarization process in a semiconductor manufacturing process, a plurality of types of semiconductor products can be efficiently produced. For example, high-mix low-volume production can be efficiently performed.

In this embodiment, the data measured by the thickness gauge is transmitted from the thickness gauge controller 931 to the information processing device 911, but this is not always necessary. For example, the operator may input measurement data from the film thickness meter from the input device 920. In addition, the operator may store the measurement data obtained by the thickness gauge in a portable storage medium (such as a flexible disk) and read the data from the portable storage medium into the information processing device 911. Further, the initial values of the parameters included in the basic formula may be given to the information processing device 911 by these methods. Further, in the present embodiment, the optimal polishing time is output only to the CMP device controller 914, but the optimal polishing time is output from the information processing device 911 to the display device 910, the server 913, and the like as necessary. You may do so.

Next, the details of the polishing time prediction processing executed by the information processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In addition,
Although there are many theoretical formulas in the simulation of an oxide film, here, "Semiconductor CMP Technology" edited by Toshio Dohi, P162-, B. Stine et.al. "A closed-form analysis
tic model for ILD thickness variation in CMP proce
ss ", Prc. CMP-MIC, Santa Clara (Feb. '97). First, the design data a of the semiconductor circuit of the product type" A "is read from the storage. Then, the exposure mask data used for forming the wiring is extracted from the design data a (S300). The exposure mask data extracted at this time indicates that the position of the wiring is 1 nm to
It can be detected with an accuracy of 10 nm. As shown in FIG. 3, the wiring and the oxide film deposited thereon have different surface shapes. Specifically, the convex region of the oxide film (white pattern 401) is wider than the convex region of the wiring (white pattern 400). Therefore, the surface shape of the oxide film is predicted based on the mask data extracted in S300 (S301). In addition, this prediction includes, for example,
The technology of 1-186205 can be used.
Based on the prediction result, each divided region 32 of the test chip
, The area ratio (ρj) (hereinafter referred to as density) occupied by the convex region of the oxide film is calculated and stored in the storage 912 in association with the identification number j of the divided region (S3).
02).

Next, the measured film thickness data He (1), He (2), He (3), and He (4) at each measurement position are read from the storage 912 (S303), and the parameter initial values (described later) are read. Rc, K, 1 / τ) and the barycentric coordinates rj of each divided area are read from the storage 912 (S304). Then, the density ρ _j in each divided region is converted into an averaged pattern density ρ ′ _j by the following equation (S305). Note that the averaged pattern density ρ ′ _j of each divided region obtained here is
The information may be displayed on the display device 910. ρ ' _j = Σr' {F (r _j + r ', Rc) (ρ _j (r _j + r'))} / Σr '{F (r _j + r', R
c)} F (r, rc): stress function such as Gaussian function, quadratic function, exponential function, etc. (here, a Gaussian function is used) Rc: half width of stress function F (several mm in case of oxide film CMP) ) As Rc increases, the density ρj of a portion away from the point of interest contributes to the polishing rate.

R ': a value sufficiently larger than Rc. Of the averaged pattern densities ρ′j of the divided regions obtained in this way, the averaged pattern density and the polishing time of the divided regions with each measurement position by the thickness gauge 930 as the center of gravity are represented by the polishing time t and Function with the remaining film thickness Hj after polishing (the following equation:
Then, a predicted value (hereinafter, referred to as predicted film thickness data) Hj of the remaining film thickness of the polished oxide film at each measurement position is calculated by substituting the values into a model (referred to as a model) (S306).

(A) When t <tc (= ρ ′ _j ² · h0 / K), Hj = H0− [tc · K / ρ ′ _j + K · (t-tc) + (1−ρ ′ _j )・ H1 ・ (1-exp (-(tt
c) / τ)] (B) In the case of t ≧ tc (= ρ ′ _j ² · h0 / K), Hj = H0−Kt / ρ ′ _j where β: Preston constant V: contact between polishing pad and wafer Speed K: Polishing speed when pattern density is 100% G: Young's modulus of polishing pad P: Pressure between polishing pad and wafer d: Thickness of polishing pad H0: Thickness of oxide film before polishing h0: Polishing Step on previous oxide film surface (= wiring thickness) h1 = h
0 · (1−ρ ′ _j ) 1 / τ = β · VG · d = KG / (P · d) Predicted film thickness data Hs, Hk at each measurement position obtained as a result of the above simulation. , Hl, Hm (= H (1),
H (2), H (3), H (4)) and the measured film thickness data He (1), He (2), He (3), He (4) at each measurement position into the following error function. Substituting, resulting value Cv and specified value
(For example, 10 nm) (S308). As a result, if the value Cv of the error function is larger than the specified value, the values of the respective parameters Rc, K, 1 / τ (= KG / (PD)) are changed, and then S306 is performed again. The subsequent processing is executed (S309). The change of each parameter can be performed by, for example, the least squares method. As for 1 / τ and K, a differential equation relating to the parameter is obtained, so that the change can be performed by the linear least squares method. Although the values of Rc, K, and 1 / τ are changed in the present embodiment, the values of Rc, K, G, and d may be changed.

On the other hand, when the value Cv of the error function is equal to or less than the specified value, that is, when the value converges, the parameter sets Rc, K, 1 / τ used in S306 and S307 are used.
Using (optimal parameter set), the predicted film thickness data Hj in all the divided regions is calculated, and the calculation result is output to a file in the storage (S310). And
The design data b of the semiconductor circuit of the product type “B” to be processed next is read from the storage, and the exposure mask data used for forming the wiring is extracted from the design data b.
(S311). The optimal polishing time is calculated using the mask data, the model used in S306, and the optimal parameter set (S312). Specifically, the polishing time t ″ until the film thickness at a predetermined position (coordinate r ″) in the chip reaches the set film thickness z ″ [nm] is determined by the product type “ B ”is calculated as the optimum polishing time. However, since the model cannot obtain an exact solution, Newton's method,
It is necessary to solve using a numerical solution such as the bisection method.

In order to examine the validity of applying the above polishing time prediction processing to the polishing process, an Al wiring (wiring thickness 500 nm) and an O ₃ -TEOS oxide film (H0 = 1000 nm) covering the Al wiring were examined. 10 mm x 10 m with
m test chip (setting film thickness 350 at the chip end)
The experiment was performed using the product types “A” and “B” on which nm) were formed. It should be noted that the divided area set in the test chip is 100
00 square divided areas of 100 μm × 100 μm were set at four measurement positions with a film thickness meter, and the specified value used in S307 was 10 nm.

First, at step S310, when the predicted film thickness data Hj in all the divided regions of the test chip of the product type “A” is obtained, the film thickness in the divided regions of the test chip of the product type “A” is measured. It was measured with a thickness gauge. Then, the predicted film thickness data in all divided regions of the test chip of the product type “A” and the measured film thickness data in all divided regions of the test chip of the product type “A” are plotted on the same graph in the order of smaller values. Are plotted. As a result, a graph as shown in FIG. 6 was obtained. By using a parameter set Rc, K, 1 / τ determined such that the value of the error function is 10 nm or less,
The film thickness distribution over the entire area of the chip was determined by comparing the measured film thickness with the measured film thickness.
It was confirmed from this graph that the reproduction was possible with an error of about nm to 15 nm. In S312, the optimum polishing time of the product “B” was calculated using the Newton method, and it was 122 s. The O ₃ -TEOS oxide film of the product “B” was polished for this optimum polishing time, and the remaining film thickness at the chip end was measured. The error between the measured value and the set film thickness was calculated and found to be suppressed to about 12 nm.

From the above, it was confirmed that the polishing time prediction processing described above accurately reproduced the polishing characteristics of the CMP apparatus and obtained an appropriate value as the optimum polishing time for the product type "B". Was done.

As described above, a chip having a single wiring layer (FIG. 5)
Although the description has been given of the case where the semiconductor wafer with the built-in semiconductor wafer is to be processed, the polishing time prediction processing according to the present embodiment is also applicable to a semiconductor wafer with a built-in chip having a multilayer wiring layer. is there. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the uppermost layer 7 of the multilayer wiring layer (here, three layers as an example) is used.
6, the Al wiring 73 included in the uppermost layer 76 is formed.
Of the lower layers 74, including the Al wirings 71, 72,
Steps are also caused by the influence of 75. Therefore, when a semiconductor wafer having such a multilayer wiring layer is to be processed, the thickness distribution of the wiring layers 74, 75, and 76 including the Al wiring is changed. It is necessary to obtain the step h0 before polishing from the thickness distribution obtained as a result of the addition. When a layer that does not affect the step (for example, a layer having a small thickness distribution) is interposed in the multilayer wiring layer, the thickness distribution of the layer is not necessarily a wiring including the Al wiring. It is not necessary to add to the layer thickness distribution.

Otherwise, under the same conditions as in the above case, the optimum polishing time of a semiconductor wafer on which a 10 mm × 10 mm test chip having three wiring layers is formed is determined. The wiring layers were polished. As a result, the three wiring layers were polished by about 800 nm. Then, all divided regions (10
The remaining film thickness was measured, and the measured film thickness data was compared with the predicted film thickness data obtained by simulation. It was confirmed that the error was suppressed to about 10 nm. From this, it is understood that the polishing time estimation processing according to the present embodiment can be applied to the planarization process of the stacked film. By the way, in the above description, a plurality of measurement positions by the film thickness meter are arbitrarily determined in advance.
The measurement position by the film thickness meter may be determined according to a certain rule. For example, in order to increase the efficiency of the film thickness measurement process using the film thickness meter, when it is desired to reduce the measurement position using the film thickness meter, the position r where the residual film thickness after polishing is the largest is obtained.
It is preferable that the maximum and the minimum position rmin are predicted in advance by a simulation using the exposure mask data of the wiring, and these two positions are measured positions by the film thickness meter. In order to examine the validity of using these two positions as measurement positions, an Al wiring
(Wiring thickness 500 nm) and O ₃ -TE coated with Al wiring
10 mm × with OS oxide film (H0 = 1000 nm)
An experiment was performed using a product type in which a test chip of 10 mm (a set film thickness at the chip end portion was 350 nm) was formed. It should be noted that the divided area set in the test chip is 100
00 square divided areas of 100 μm × 100 μm, the measurement positions by the film thickness meter are two points rmax where the remaining film thickness after polishing is maximum and rmin where the remaining film thickness is minimum, and the specified value used in S307 is , And 10 nm.

Then, the remaining film thickness was measured with a film thickness meter in all divided regions of the polished test chip. As a result, it was found that the error between the measured film thickness data and the predicted film thickness data obtained using the optimum parameter set was suppressed to 15 nm or less for all the divided regions of the test chip. Comparing this error value with the error value when the position measured by the film thickness meter is set to four points (see FIG. 6), the position rmax where the remaining film thickness of the oxide film is the maximum and the position rmin where the remaining film thickness of the oxide film is the minimum
When the remaining film thickness was measured at two points, it was found that the remaining film thickness could be simulated with the same accuracy as when the remaining film thickness was measured at four points. From this, if the remaining film thickness is measured at the minimum two points of the position rmax where the remaining film thickness after polishing is predicted to be the maximum and the position rmin where the polishing is predicted to be the minimum, the film thickness can be reduced without lowering the simulation accuracy. It can be seen that the efficiency of the film thickness measurement processing by the thickness gauge can be improved. Further, since the remaining film thickness at the position rmax at which the remaining film thickness after polishing becomes maximum and the position rmin at which the remaining film thickness becomes minimum can be almost surely reproduced, the range of the remaining film thickness in the test chip can be within the standard value. .

In the above description, the thickness measurement target is randomly selected from the polished semiconductor wafers. However, a certain rule may be set for selecting the thickness measurement target. For example, when polishing of all semiconductor wafers of a certain product type is completed, of the polished semiconductor wafers, one of the semiconductor wafers of the last polished semiconductor wafer or the lot including the last polished semiconductor wafer May be selected as a film thickness measurement target.

The characteristics of the CMP apparatus (such as the polishing rate of the pad and the flattening properties) gradually change according to the number of polished wafers.
By selecting a film thickness measurement target according to such a selection rule, the CM immediately before the polishing of the next product type is started.
The characteristics of the P device can be reproduced more accurately. Therefore, the optimal polishing time for the next product type semiconductor wafer can be more accurately predicted. Further, even if a plurality of semiconductor wafers are not used as a film thickness measurement target, it is possible to more accurately reproduce the characteristics of the CMP apparatus immediately before the start of polishing of the next product type. The time required for film thickness measurement can be reduced as compared with the case where

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a process executed by the polishing system of FIG. 8 when the above-described selection rule is adopted. The processing shown in this flowchart is for processing a semiconductor wafer in a group of semiconductor wafers belonging to the processed product type, the semiconductor wafer of the last polished semiconductor wafer or the semiconductor wafer of the lot including the semiconductor wafer polished last. Points to be selected as measurement targets (S201 ',
Only in S205 '), the processing is different from the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. Except for this difference, the processing is the same as the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.

As described above, the case where the O ₃ -TEOS oxide film is to be polished has been described as an example. However, the polishing time estimation processing according to the present embodiment is not limited to the O ₃ -TEOS oxide film, but the plasma TEOS oxide film. The present invention is also applicable to a polishing process for polishing a high-density plasma CVD film, a spin coat insulating film, a silicon nitride film, a plated Cu film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, a ruthenium film, a titanium nitride film, and the like. Further, an O ₃ -TEOS oxide film, a plasma TEOS oxide film,
The present invention is also applicable to a stacked film including a high-density plasma CVD film, a spin coat insulating film, a silicon nitride film, a plated Cu film, a tungsten film, a tantalum film, a ruthenium film, a titanium nitride film, and the like. Further, the present invention can be applied to a polishing process of a multi-product small-quantity production process for producing a plurality of types of workpieces processed based on mutually different design data.

[0040]

According to the present invention, a plurality of types of semiconductor products can be efficiently produced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a CMP process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a polishing time prediction process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a wafer surface on which an Al wiring is formed, and A
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a wafer surface when an O ₃ -TEOS oxide film is deposited on the l wiring.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method of dividing a semiconductor chip into regions in a polishing time estimation process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a semiconductor product before polishing.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a film thickness distribution of a semiconductor product after CMP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a CMP process according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a polishing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor wafer before CMP.

[Explanation of symbols]

31: semiconductor chip, 32: divided area, 91: loading system,
92: unloading system, 400: Al wiring, 401: O ₃ -TE
OS oxide film, 910 ... display device, 911 ... information processing device, 912 ... storage, 913 ... server, 914 ... C
MP device controller, 920: input device, 930: thickness gauge, 931: thickness gauge controller

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Arai             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Hitachi, Ltd., Production Technology Laboratory (72) Inventor Takahiko Kawasaki             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Hitachi, Ltd., Production Technology Laboratory F term (reference) 3C034 AA13 BB91 CA03 CB18                 3C058 AA07 AC02 CA01 CB03 DA12

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A polishing system for polishing a first type of workpiece and a second type of workpiece created based on different design data, wherein the first type of workpiece is polished. A polishing apparatus for polishing the second type of workpiece after polishing of one type of workpiece is completed; and a dimension correlated with the shape of the first type of workpiece polished by the polishing apparatus, A measuring device for measuring prior to polishing of the second type of workpiece; and a measuring device based on the design data of the first type of workpiece, the output data of the measuring device, and the design data of the second type of workpiece. An information processing device that calculates a polishing time for two types of workpieces; and a controller that controls a time for the polishing device to polish the second type of workpiece based on the polishing time calculated by the information processing device. Polishing characterized by comprising Stem. 2. A polishing system for polishing a first type of workpiece and a second type of workpiece on which films are formed based on different design data, wherein the first type of workpiece is polished. A polishing apparatus for polishing the film of the second type of workpiece after the polishing of the film of the first type of workpiece is completed; and a polishing apparatus for polishing the remaining film thickness of the first type of workpiece after polishing. A measuring device for measuring prior to polishing of the film of the second type of workpiece, based on design data of the first type of workpiece, output data of the measuring device, and design data of the second type of workpiece. An information processing apparatus for calculating a polishing time of a film of a workpiece of the second type; and a polishing time calculated by the information processing apparatus, the time of polishing the film of the workpiece of the second type by the polishing apparatus. And a controller for controlling the polishing based on the polishing conditions. Temu. 3. The polishing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device is configured to change a value of a parameter included in a function between a polishing time of the workpiece and a dimension after the polishing of the first type. The polishing time is determined based on the design data of the workpiece and the output data of the measuring device, and the determined value is calculated based on the function set in the parameter and the design data of the workpiece of the second type. A polishing system, characterized in that: 4. A polishing method for polishing, using a polishing apparatus, a first type of workpiece and a second type of workpiece, each of which has a film formed on the basis of different design data, comprising: A first polishing process of polishing a film with the polishing device; a measuring process of measuring a remaining film thickness of the first type of workpiece after the first polishing process with a measuring device; An arithmetic processing for calculating a polishing time of a film of the second type of workpiece based on design data of the type of workpiece, output data of the measuring device, and design data of the two types of workpiece; A polishing method, comprising: a polishing time calculated by a device; and a second polishing process in which the polishing device polishes the film of the second type of workpiece. 5. The polishing method according to claim 4, wherein the arithmetic processing includes: changing a parameter value included in a function of a polishing time of the workpiece and a remaining film thickness after polishing to a value of the first workpiece. A first step of determining based on the design data and the output data of the measuring device, based on the function and the design data of the second type of workpiece in which the parameter values determined in the first step are set, A second step of calculating a polishing time of a film of a workpiece of a second type. 6. The polishing method according to claim 4, wherein the information processing device determines a first position where the remaining film thickness of the first type of workpiece is the maximum and a second position where the remaining film thickness is the minimum. The measurement device includes a measurement position selection process of calculating information based on the design data of the workpiece of the first type, and in the measurement process, the measurement device determines the first and the second information indicated by the information calculated in the measurement position selection process. A polishing method, comprising: measuring, at a second position, a remaining film thickness of the workpiece of the first type. 7. The method according to claim 4, wherein
The polishing method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when the plurality of workpieces of the first type are polished in the first polishing process, in the measurement process, the last polished workpiece among the plurality of workpieces A polishing method characterized by measuring the remaining film thickness of a workpiece or the remaining film thickness of a workpiece in a lot including a workpiece polished last. 8. An information processing apparatus used in a polishing system for polishing a first type of workpiece and a second type of workpiece created based on mutually different design data, wherein the first type of workpiece is provided. Receives the input of the remaining film thickness of the polished workpiece of the first type, and designs the remaining film thickness and the design of the first type of workpiece. An information processing system comprising: a calculating unit that calculates a polishing time of a film of the second type of workpiece based on the data and the design data of the second type of workpiece, and outputs the polishing time. . 9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein said calculating means sets a parameter value included in a function of a polishing time and a dimension after polishing of the workpiece to the first type of workpiece. Determining based on the design data and the output data of the measuring device, and calculating the polishing time based on the determined value based on the function set in the parameter and the design data of the workpiece of the second type. Characteristic information processing system.