Chemical mechanical polishing of cubic silicon carbide films grown on Si-(100) wafers

This paper presents the results of a study to develop chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes for 3C-SiC films using commercial polishing pads in conjunction with basic colloidal SiO2, acidic colloidal Al2O3, and near-neutral SiC slurries. The removal rate and surface roughness of the 3C-SiC surfaces were measured for the three slurries. The SiC-based slurry had the highest removal rate at 0.58 mm/h, while the colloidal SiO2 slurry produced surfaces with the lowest average roughness at 15 Angstrom. The removal rates of the Al2O3 slurries were found to be too low for practical applications. The surface chemistry and morphology of the as-deposited and polished 3C-SiC films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy in order to gain insight into the physical and chemical mechanisms in the process. (C) 2002 The Electrochemical Society.