AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session SS-TuP

Paper SS-TuP32
Single Asperity Atomic Force Microscope Studies of the Chemical Mechanical Planarization of Silicate Glasses@footnote 1@

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 4:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Surface Science Poster Session
Presenter: F. Stevens, Washington State University
Authors: F. Stevens, Washington State University
S.C. Langford, Washington State University
J.T. Dickinson, Washington State University
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The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is not only an imaging tool, but also can be employed to apply highly localized stresses to a surface. In the presence of liquids, we can investigate a number of tribochemical processes. Here we present the results of fundamental studies of the simultaneous application of chemical agents and mechanical stress to amorphous sodium trisilicate. We show the consequences of combining highly localized mechanical stress (due to contact with the AFM tip) with exposure to aqueous solutions of known pH. This experiment incorporates many features of single-particle/substrate/slurry interactions in Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP). Importantly, we show quantitative, correlated data on the wear of both the AFM tip and the glass substrate. The significant modification of the tip during a single wear experiment has profound effects on the rate of material removal from the exposed surface. Such measurements allow us to determine how substrate wear depends on the stress applied by the tip. In addition, the temperature of the solution and substrate can be changed over a limited range. We examine solid surfaces of silicate glasses, inorganic single crystals, and silicon nitride. Quantitative models are presented to account for the observed nanometer-scale surface modification. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@This work was supported by the National Science Foundation.