Quantification of Ultraprecision Surface Morphology using an Algebraic Graph Theoretic Approach

Authors

Prahalad Rao, State University of New York (Binghamton)Follow
Satish T. S. Bukkapatnam, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Zhenyu (James) Kong, Virginia TechFollow
Omer F. Beyca, Istanbul Technical UniversityFollow
Kenneth Case, Oklahoma State UniversityFollow
Ranga Komanduri, Oklahoma State University

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comments

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the NAMRI Scientific Committee doi: 10.1016/j.promfg.2015.09.025

Abstract

Assessment of progressive, nano-scale variation of surface morphology during ultraprecision manufacturing processes, such as fine-abrasive polishing of semiconductor wafers, is a challenging proposition owing to limitations with traditional surface quantifiers. We present an algebraic graph theoretic approach that uses graph topological invariants for quantification of ultraprecision surface morphology. The graph theoretic approach captures heterogeneous multi-scaled aspects of surface morphology from optical micrographs, and is therefore valuable for in situ real-time assessment of surface quality. Extensive experimental investigations with specular finished (Sa ~ 5 nm) blanket copper wafers from a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process suggest that the proposed method was able to quantify and track variations in surface morphology more effectively than statistical quantifiers reported in literature.