Reflexion 5 Z

The Applied Materials Reflexion 5 Z is a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system used for polishing semiconductor wafers. The Reflexion 5 Z is manufactured by Applied Materials.^[1][2]

A CMP tool applies a colloidal slurry containing abrasive particles and reactive chemicals to a rotating polishing pad. The wafer is pressed face-down against the pad and rotated while the slurry is continuously delivered to the interface.

The chemical component of the slurry softens or oxidizes the material on the wafer surface, and the mechanical action of the abrasive particles and pad removes the softened layer. The combined process achieves high material removal rates and global planarization across the wafer.

CMP is used at multiple stages of semiconductor manufacturing, including planarization of interlayer dielectrics (ILD), shallow trench isolation (STI), and metal layers such as tungsten, copper, and aluminum.

In the fab flow, CMP typically follows deposition processes (CVD, PVD) and precedes lithography. A well-planarized wafer surface is critical for achieving focus depth requirements in photolithography and for ensuring reliable multilevel interconnect formation.

Additional applications include polishing of oxide and nitride layers for STI and ILD planarization, as well as tungsten plug and aluminum wiring layers in memory and logic devices.