Methods for cleaning substrate surfaces after etch operations

A method for post plasma etch cleaning a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having a plurality of layers formed thereon, one of the plurality of layers being an oxide layer, the oxide layer having photoresist mask, comprising:

• plasma etching a feature in the oxide layer, the plasma etching being configured to generate a polymer film on sidewalls of the plasma etched feature;
• performing an ashing operation to remove the photoresist mask;
• and
• brush scrubbing the oxide layer and the plasma etched feature with chemicals followed by a DI water rinse, the chemicals being a combination of H2O2, NH4OH, and DI water, wherein the brush scrubbing with the H2O2, NH4OH, and DI water is performed for a period of time ranging between about 10 seconds and about 30 seconds;
• whereby the brush scrubbing with the chemicals followed by the DI water rinse is configured to remove the polymer film from the sidewalls of the plasma etched feature.

A method for post plasma etch cleaning a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having a plurality of layers formed thereon, one of the plurality of layers being an oxide layer, the oxide layer having photoresist mask, comprising:

• plasma etching a via feature in the oxide layer, the plasma etching being configured to generate a polymer film on sidewalls of the via feature;
• performing an ashing operation to remove the photoresist mask;
• and
• brush scrubbing the oxide layer and the via feature defined in the oxide layer with first chemicals in a first brush station;
• brush scrubbing the oxide layer and the via feature with DI water in the first brush station;
• brush scrubbing the oxide layer and the via feature with second chemicals in a second brush station;
• and
• brush scrubbing the oxide layer and the via feature with DI water in the second brush station;
• the brush scrubbing in the first and second brush stations being configured to remove the polymer film from the side walls of the via feature;
• wherein the brush scrubbing using the first chemicals is performed for a period of time ranging between about 10 and 30 seconds and the scrubbing using the second chemicals is performed for a period of time ranging between about 20 and 40 seconds.

A method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

• plasma etching a feature in an oxide layer having a photoresist mask;
• ashing the semiconductor wafer to remove the photoresist mask;
• and
• scrubbing the semiconductor wafer implementing a chemical combination of H2O2, NH4OH, and DI water having a concentration ratio of about 10:1:120, the chemical combination that is configured to remove polymer residues deposited in the feature during the plasma etching.

A method for cleaning a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

• plasma etching a feature in an oxide layer having a photoresist mask;
• ashing the semiconductor wafer to remove the photoresist mask;
• and
• scrubbing the semiconductor wafer implementing a chemical combination of HF and DI water having a concentration ratio of about 1:100, the chemical combination is configured to remove polymer residues deposited in the feature during the plasma etching.