Purity and precision are paramount in fabricating microchips. The gradual application of countless ultra-thin layers to semiconductor wafers creates microscopic irregularities that must be precisely levelled and polished. This critical process is known as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). At the heart of this high precision process is a specially developed suspension known as a CMP slurry. The slurry contains a highly effective abrasive made of metal oxide. Evonik offers a special colloidal silica for CMP under the brand name IDISIL®.
Silica particles for modern semiconductor technologies
As a pioneer of silica particles in North America, Evonik has now added this new and innovative colloidal silica to its product portfolio. IDISIL® has exceptional properties: The nanoscale silica particles are monodisperse and of the highest purity; trace metal impurities may occur only in the range of a few parts per billion. Our IDISIL® particles come in a variety of particle sizes and shapes. IDISIL® particles are made specifically for CMP application by controlling critical properties such as particle density, surface silanol number and condensation ratios. The quality and exact properties of the abrasive are crucial for the result of the CMP process and thus for the performance of the finished microchip. With IDISIL®, Evonik is making a significant contribution to the further development and optimization of modern semiconductor technologies, thus driving innovation in microelectronics.