Why is CMP such an important part of the IC manufacturing process?
By using CMP, chipmakers are able to produce smaller ICs with more electronic characteristics, improving chip speed and performance. It is the critical factor in extending the productivity gains of photolithography, allowing the depth of field to significantly shrink. The surface of a CMP-processed wafer is ultra-smooth, also a critical requirement in the fabrication of shallow-trench isolation structures and polygates. In addition, CMP helps reduce the number of defective ICs produced, which increases IC yield, or the number of “good” chips on a wafer. Improvements in throughput and yield reduce an IC manufacturer’s total production costs.
