Polishing Compositions and Methods of Using Same

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a polishing composition that includes at least one abrasive; at least one nitride removal rate reducing agent, an acid or a base; and water. The at least one nitride removal rate reduce agent can include a hydrophobic portion containing a C4 to C40 hydrocarbon group; and a hydrophilic portion containing at least one group selected from the group consisting of a sulfinite group, a sulfate group, a sulfonate group, a carboxylate group, a phosphate group, and a phosphonate group; in which the hydrophobic portion and the hydrophilic portion are separated by zero to ten alkylene oxide groups. The polishing composition can have a pH of from about 2 to about 6.5.

1 . A polishing composition comprising:
 at least one abrasive;   at least one nitride removal rate reducing agent comprising:
 a hydrophobic portion comprising a C 16  to C 22  hydrocarbon group; 
 a hydrophilic portion comprising at least one group selected from the group consisting of a sulfinite group, a phosphate group, and a phosphonate group; and 
 wherein the hydrophobic portion and the hydrophilic portion are separated by zero alkylene oxide group; 
   an acid or a base; and   water;   wherein the polishing composition is free of an oxidizing agent, a salt, and an anionic polymer, and the polishing composition has a pH of about 2 to about 6.5.   
     
     
         2 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one metal corrosion inhibitor, wherein the at least one metal corrosion inhibitor comprises benzotriazole, histidine, glycine, hexyl phosphate, hexyl ethyl phosphate, 2-ethylhexyl phosphate, or dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The polishing composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one metal corrosion inhibitor is in an amount of from about 0.1 ppm to about 1 wt % of the composition. 
     
     
         4 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic portion comprises a C 16  to C 18  hydrocarbon group. 
     
     
         5 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic portion comprises a phosphate group or a phosphonate group. 
     
     
         6 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nitride removal rate reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of stearyl phosphate, octadecylphosphonic acid, oleyl phosphate, behenyl phosphate, octadecyl sulfate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing composition comprises at least two nitride removal rate reducing agents. 
     
     
         8 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nitride removal rate reducing agent is in an amount of from at least about 0.1 ppm to at most about 1000 ppm of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abrasive is selected from the group consisting of cationic abrasives, substantially neutral abrasives, and anionic abrasives. 
     
     
         10 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abrasive is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, titania, ceria, zirconia, co-formed products thereof, coated abrasives, surface modified abrasives, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The polishing composition of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one abrasive comprises a silica-based abrasive. 
     
     
         12 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abrasive is in an amount of from at least about 0.05 wt % to at most about 20 wt % of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, malonic acid, citric acid, propionic acid, malic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid, 2-phosphono-1,2,4-butane tricarboxylic acid, aminotrimethylene phosphonic acid, hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylenephosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene)triamine phosphonic acid, amino acetic acid, peracetic acid, potassium acetate, phenoxyacetic acid, glycine, bicine, diglycolic acid, glyceric acid, tricine, alanine, histidine, valine, phenylalanine, proline, glutamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, benzoic acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, phosphoric acid, phosphonic acid, hydrochloric acid, periodic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, triethanolamine, diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, imidazole, triazole, aminotriazole, tetrazole, benzotriazole, tolytriazole, pyrazole, isothiazole, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the acid or base is in an amount of from at least about 0.01 wt % to at most about 10 wt % of the composition. 
     
     
         16 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a mixture of acids, the mixture of acids comprising an amino acid. 
     
     
         17 . The polishing composition of  claim 16 , wherein the amino acid is amino acetic acid, glycine, bicine, tricine, alanine, histidine, valine, phenylalanine, proline, glutamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, lysine, or tyrosine. 
     
     
         18 . The polishing composition of  claim 17 , wherein the mixture of acids further comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, malonic acid, citric acid, propionic acid, malic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid, 2-phosphono-1,2,4-butane tricarboxylic acid, aminotrimethylene phosphonic acid, hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylenephosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene)triamine phosphonic acid, peracetic acid, potassium acetate, phenoxyacetic acid, diglycolic acid, glyceric acid, benzoic acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, phosphoric acid, phosphonic acid, hydrochloric acid, periodic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The polishing composition of  claim 16 , wherein the composition comprises the mixture of acids in an amount of from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % of the composition. 
     
     
         20 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water is in an amount of from at least about 50 wt % to at most about 99.9 wt % of the composition. 
     
     
         21 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing composition has a ratio of a removal rate for a silicon oxide to a removal rate for a silicon nitride of at least about 3:1. 
     
     
         22 . The polishing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing composition has a ratio of a removal rate for a silicon oxide to a removal rate for a silicon nitride of at least about 100:1. 
     
     
         23 . A method, comprising:
 applying the polishing composition of  claim 1  to a substrate having at least a silicon nitride and at least a silicon oxide on a surface of the substrate; and   bringing a pad into contact with the surface of the substrate and moving the pad in relation to the substrate.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one of the silicon nitride and silicon oxide is doped with at least one dopant selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising forming a semiconductor device from the substrate.