US 12,635,442 B2Granted

Method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer

AssigneeSiltronic AG

InventorsDamian Brock, Albert Kuehnstetter

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A side of a semiconductor wafer is cleaned in the following order: (1) executing a first cleaning step, cleaning with ozonized water, and a subsequent rinsing step, rinsing with purified water; (2) executing a second cleaning step, which includes, executing a first treatment step, including treating with ozonized water, which is followed by executing a second treatment step, treating with a hydrogen fluoride (HF)-containing liquid, where the second cleaning step may be repeated multiply; (3) executing a third cleaning step, cleaning with ozonized water, and executing a subsequent rinsing step, rinsing with purified water; and (4) executing a drying step. A preliminary cleaning step, which includes cleaning the side of the semiconductor with water, is executed directly before the first cleaning step so that the side of the semiconductor wafer is still wet while the first cleaning step commences.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A process for cleaning a side of a semiconductor wafer, the process comprising, in the order given:

(1) executing a first cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, and executing a subsequent rinsing step, comprising rinsing the side of the semiconductor wafer with purified water;
(2) executing a second cleaning step, which comprises, executing a first treatment step, comprising treating the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, which is followed by executing a second treatment step, comprising treating the side of the semiconductor wafer with a hydrogen fluoride (HF)-containing liquid, where the second cleaning step may be repeated multiply;
(3) executing a third cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, and executing a subsequent rinsing step, comprising rinsing the side of the semiconductor wafer with purified water;
and
(4) executing a drying step, comprising drying the side of the semiconductor wafer,
wherein the process further comprises executing a preliminary cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor with water directly before the first cleaning step, so that the side of the semiconductor wafer is still wet while the first cleaning step commences.

3 more elements

A process for cleaning a side of a semiconductor wafer, the process comprising, in the order given:

executing a preliminary cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor with water directly before the first cleaning step, so that the side of the semiconductor wafer is still wet while the first cleaning step commences;
while the side of the semiconductor wafer is still wet with the water from the preliminary cleaning step, executing a first cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, and executing a subsequent rinsing step, comprising rinsing the side of the semiconductor wafer with purified water;
executing a second cleaning step, which comprises, executing a first treatment step, comprising treating the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, which is followed by executing a second treatment step, comprising treating the side of the semiconductor wafer with a hydrogen fluoride (HF)-containing liquid, where the second cleaning step may be repeated multiply;
executing a third cleaning step, comprising cleaning the side of the semiconductor wafer with ozonized water, and executing a subsequent rinsing step, comprising rinsing the side of the semiconductor wafer with purified water;
and
executing a drying step, comprising drying the side of the semiconductor wafer.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/701,273Filed 28 Oct 2022
Priority: EP 2120796912 Nov 2021
Published: US 2025/0201547 A119 Jun 2025
Granted: 19 May 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H10P 70/15
Cleaning before device manufacture, i.e. Begin-Of-Line process: by wet cleaning only
H10P 70/18
Cleaning before device manufacture, i.e. Begin-Of-Line process: by combined dry cleaning and wet cleaning
H10P 72/0414
For wet cleaning or washing: using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
H10P
Generic processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of devices covered