Method for defect reduction

#1. Field of the Invention

#The invention relates generally to removal of particles from a substrate and more particularly to removal of at least one particle from a metal layer deposited on a substrate using an acid.

#2. Description of Related Art

#FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional illustration showing a portion of a standard multilevel integrated circuit.

#FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional illustration showing the formation of a via hole through an insulating layer formed on a conductive layer of a semiconductor substrate.

#FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional illustration showing the formation of an adhesion layer and a tungsten layer on the substrate of FIG. 2A.

#A method and a composition is disclosed for reducing defects in an electronic device such as in an integrated circuit by using a buffered solution comprising an acid. The following detailed description and the accompanying drawings are provided for the purpose of describing and illustrating presently preferred embodiments of the invention only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

#One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of removing at least one particle by polishing a metal layer over a substrate using a slurry and introducing a solution that includes an acid. Another embodiment of the invention relates to the same process described above except the solution comprises an acid and a chelating agent. The solution may also be buffered.

#Another embodiment of the invention relates to a method of using a first solution that is deposited onto the substrate and a polisher that has an abrasive material at the surface of a polishing pad of the polisher that contacts the substrate and removing the particle from the substrate using a second solution containing an acid.