Low oxygen cleaning for CMP equipment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDonald F. Canaperi, Pavan S. Chinthamanipeta, Raghuveer R. Patlolla, Cornelius B. Peethala
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Abstract
A method is presented for post chemical mechanical polishing (PCMP) clean for cleaning a chemically-mechanically polished semiconductor wafer. The method includes planarizing the semiconductor wafer, subjecting the semiconductor wafer to a de-oxygenated mixture of DI water and PCMP solution, and applying a de-oxygenated environment during the cleaning. The solution can be de-oxygenated by nitrogen degas or by introducing a reducing agent. The environment can be de-oxygenated by purging with an inert gas, such as nitrogen.
Claims11
A structure for cleaning a chemically-mechanically polished semiconductor wafer by a post chemical mechanical polishing (PCMP) clean method, the structure comprising:
- a polishing pad having a polishing surface to polish the semiconductor wafer;
- a mix tank directly fed with a mixture of DI Water and PCMP solution, the mixture deoxygenated by an inert gas before the mixture is dispensed on the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a post CMP module physically connected directly to the mix tank, without any intermediate physical components therebetween, and including a process chamber to receive the semiconductor wafer directly from the mix tank, the post CMP module creating a complete ambient environment therein via introduction of an oxygen scavenger.
A structure for cleaning a chemically-mechanically polished semiconductor wafer by a post chemical mechanical polishing (PCMP) clean method, the structure comprising:
- an inlet for receiving nitrogen gas or a reducing agent;
- a polishing pad having a polishing surface to polish the semiconductor wafer;
- a mix tank directly fed with a mixture of DI Water and PCMP solution, the mixture deoxygenated by the nitrogen gas or the reducing agent before the mixture is dispensed on the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a post CMP module physically connected directly to the mix tank, without any intermediate physical components therebetween, and including a process chamber to receive the semiconductor wafer directly from the mix tank, the post CMP module creating a complete ambient environment therein via introduction of an oxygen scavenger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.