Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) must continuously improve to meet the stringent requirements of next generation IC device manufacturing. The consistency of the slurry is essential to achieve high process repeatability and uniformity.
Compared to Levitronix^® pumps, pneumatic pumps can cause shear stress due to check valves and other components. Shear stress in pumps can cause slurry agglomeration. Agglomerated slurry particles can lead to micro scratches, which cause wafer defectivity in CMP. Furthermore, Slurry agglomerates result in quick filter clogging, leading to increased maintenance costs.
Levitronix^® pump systems are designed for demanding CMP applications where reduced particle agglomeration ensures the highest yield.