US 2003/0140943 A1 · Apparatus and methods to clean copper contamination on wafer edge

Abstract

A new apparatus is provided that can be applied to clean outer edges of semiconductor substrates. Under the first embodiment of the invention, a brush is mounted on the surface of the substrate around the periphery of the substrate, chemicals are fed to the surface that is being cleaned by means of a hollow core on which the cleaning brush is mounted. The surface that is being cleaned rotates at a relatively high speed thereby causing the chemicals that are deposited on this surface (by the brush) to remain in the edge of the surface. Under the second embodiment of the invention, a porous roller is mounted between a chemical reservoir and the surface that is being cleaned, the surface that is being cleaned rotates at a relatively high speed. The chemicals that are deposited by the interfacing porous roller onto the surface that is being cleaned therefore remain at the edge of this surface thereby causing optimum cleaning action of the edge of the surface. After contaminants have been removed in this manner from the surface, the surface can be further cleaned by applying DI water.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cleaning the surface of a circular semiconductor wafer, said wafer having a peripheral edge and a center point spaced apart from and circumscribed by said peripheral edge, said apparatus including:

a teflon cylinder whereby said teflon cylinder is mounted in a manner such that a central axis of said teflon cylinder is parallel to a surface of said circular semiconductor wafer whereby said central axis furthermore intersects with said center point of said circular semiconductor wafer;
and
a cylindrical brush attached to and mounted on an exposed surface of said teflon cylinder whereby said cylindrical brush extends over said peripheral edge of said circular semiconductor wafer by a measurable amount.

A method for cleaning a surface of a circular semiconductor wafer, said wafer having a peripheral edge and a center point spaced apart from and circumscribed by said peripheral edge, said method comprising:

providing a semiconductor wafer;
mounting said semiconductor wafer onto the surface of a wafer holding chuck;
mounting a teflon cylinder having an outside surface in such a manner that a central axis of said teflon cylinder is parallel to a surface of said circular semiconductor wafer whereby said central axis furthermore intersects with said center point of said circular semiconductor wafer whereby a cylindrical brush is attached to and mounted longitudinally on said outside surface of said teflon cylinder thereby leaving a longitudinal surface of said cylindrical brush exposed;
providing said wafer holding chuck with a rotating motion of relatively high speed;
providing said teflon cylinder with a rotating motion;
and
establishing physical contact between said surface of said circular semiconductor wafer and said exposed longitudinal surface of said cylindrical brush whereby said contact is uniform along the physical contact that is established and forms the substance of said contact.

4 more elements

A method for cleaning the surface of a circular semiconductor wafer, said wafer having a peripheral edge and a center point spaced apart from and circumscribed by said peripheral edge, said method including:

providing a semiconductor wafer;
mounting said semiconductor wafer onto the surface of a wafer holding chuck;
providing a porous roller of cylindrical form that is activated with a rolling motion around its central axis whereby said porous roller contains an exposed longitudinal surface;
providing said wafer holding chuck with a rotating motion of relatively high speed;
providing a chemical reservoir containing cleaning chemicals;
providing said porous roller with a rotating motion;
and
establishing a first contact between said exposed longitudinal surface of said porous roller and said surface of said circular semiconductor wafer whereby said first contact is uniform along said first contact thereby furthermore establishing a second contact between said exposed longitudinal surface of said porous roller and said chemical reservoir containing cleaning chemicals.

5 more elements

providing a semiconductor wafer;
mounting said semiconductor wafer onto the surface of a wafer holding chuck;
providing a porous roller of cylindrical form that is activated with a rolling motion around its central axis whereby said porous roller contains an exposed longitudinal surface;
providing said wafer holding chuck with a rotating motion of relatively high speed;
providing a chemical reservoir containing cleaning chemicals;
providing said porous roller with a rotating motion;
and
establishing a first contact between said exposed longitudinal surface of said porous roller and said surface of said circular semiconductor wafer whereby said first contact is uniform along said first contact thereby furthermore establishing a second contact between said exposed longitudinal surface of said porous roller and said chemical reservoir containing cleaning chemicals.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and methods to clean copper contamination on wafer edge

Life of this patent

Apparatus and methods to clean copper contamination on wafer edge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28