AVS 46th International Symposium
    Manufacturing Science and Technology Group Wednesday Sessions
       Session MS-WeA

Paper MS-WeA6
Mechanisms for the Production of Atomically Flat Surfaces Studied by Scanning Probe Microscopy@footnote 1@

Wednesday, October 27, 1999, 3:40 pm, Room 611

Session: Metrology II
Presenter: S.C. Langford, Washington State University
Authors: S.C. Langford, Washington State University
R.F. Hariadi, Washington State University
J.T. Dickinson, Washington State University
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Chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) is a critical step in the fabrication of integrated circuits, yet the complex interactions between chemical and mechanical effects in CMP are still not well understood. We examine layer by layer material removal and deposition under conditions of combined mechanical stress and chemistry using scanning probe microscopy (SPM), where the SPM tip serves as a model single asperity/abrasion particle. We focus on monolayer-deep etch pits on a model, biomaterial substrate, single crystal brushite (CaHPO@sub 4@@super .@2H@sub 2@O). Scanning across monolayer steps in undersaturated solutions at high contact forces produces distinct wear tracks due to localized double kink nucleation. Low contact force scanning in supersaturated solution produces localized deposition along steps in the scanned region. The latter suggests a novel method of producing atomically flat surfaces by mechanically controlled re-crystallization. These results allow quantitative models of wear and deposition to be developed and tested. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@This work supported in part by the NSF Surface Engineering and Tribology Program under Grant CMS-98-00230.