In the early days of CMP, most of the focus was on developing the technology as a relatively stable process and enabling its usefulness, particularly for dielectric CMP. This was followed by tungsten CMP, which gained broad acceptance in the mid-1990s. Next came the adoption of copper CMP, followed by direct shallow-trench isolation (STI) polish. As new materials are continuously introduced, CMP innovation is expected to keep pace for polishing these materials (e.g., platinum). With CMP widely accepted, the focus has shifted to increasing productivity: less downtime and development of new slurries and processes with higher removal rates and throughput. Yield enhancement, mainly through defect reduction, has also gained attention. This has been achieved through better manufacturing and design of slurries and pads, as well as polishing tool and process improvements.
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