Semiconductor wafer treatment
AssigneeSpeedFam-IPEC Corporation
InventorsPaul William Dryer, Richard Scott Tirendi, James Bradley Sundin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for cleaning semiconductor devices and other workpieces using an aqueous rinse solution which is de-oxygenated and hydrogen enriched by passing the aqueous rinse solution and a treatment fluid through an osmotic membrane degasifier. In the preferred embodiment, only a single component, forming gas, is employed to provide both functions of oxygen removal and hydrogen injection.
Claims56
Method of treating metal structures carried on semiconductor substrates, comprising the steps of:
- immersing the semiconductor substrate in a tank filled with fluid media;
- exchanging at least a portion of the fluid media in contact with the metal structure carried on the semiconductor substrate with fluid media located outside the tank;
- contacting said fluid media with a semipermeable osmotic membrane;
- contacting said semipermeable osmotic membrane with a treatment fluid so as to draw oxygen from said fluid media to said treatment fluid to prevent oxidation of said metal structures;
- and
- reducing the electrochemical potential of said fluid media so as to prevent corrosion reactions in said fluid media.
Method of treating metal structures carried on semiconductor substrates, comprising the steps of:
- immersing the semiconductor substrate in a tank filled with fluid media;
- exchanging at least a portion of the fluid media in contact with the metal structure carried on the semiconductor substrate;
- contacting said fluid media with a semipermeable osmotic membrane;
- and
- contacting said semipermeable osmotic membrane with a treatment fluid so as to draw oxygen from said fluid media to said treatment fluid to prevent oxidation of said metal structures while drawing hydrogen from said treatment fluid to said fluid media to reduce the electrochemical potential of said fluid media and to prevent hydrogen producing corrosion reactions in said fluid media.
Method of treating metal structures carried on semiconductor substrates, comprising the steps of:
- immersing the semiconductor substrate in a tank filled with fluid media;
- exchanging at least a portion of the fluid media in contact with the metal structure carried on the semiconductor substrate with fluid media located outside the tank;
- contacting said fluid media with a semipermeable osmotic membrane;
- contacting said semipermeable osmotic membrane with a treatment fluid so as to draw oxygen from said fluid media to said treatment fluid to prevent oxidation of said metal structures;
- monitoring the pH of the fluid media in contact with the metal structure carried on the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- adjusting the pH of said treatment fluid in response to said monitoring step so as to maintain the pH of the fluid media within a preselected range sufficient to maintain the metal structure in either the passivation operating region or the immunity operating region as defined by the Pourbaix diagram for the metal of said metal structures.
Apparatus for treating metal structures carried on semiconductor substrates, comprising:
- an immersion tank for filling with a fluid media;
- a support within the tank for supporting said substrate for immersion in said fluid media;
- a fluid exchange system for exchanging at least a portion of the fluid media in contact with the metal structure carried on the semiconductor substrate;
- a treatment fluid for drawing oxygen from said fluid media and for supplying hydrogen to said fluid media;
- an osmotic membrane having a first inlet for said fluid media and a second inlet for said treatment fluid, said membrane semipermeable to oxygen in said fluid media so as to draw oxygen from said fluid media to said treatment fluid to prevent oxidation of said metal structures and said membrane semipermeable to said treatment fluid media so as to diffuse hydrogen into said fluid media to prevent hydrogen producing corrosion reactions in said fluid media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.