Method for removing organic contaminants from a semiconductor surface
AssigneesInteruniversitair Microelektronica Centrum vzw, Nederlandse Philips Bedrijven B.V.
InventorsStefan DeGendt, Dirk Knotter, Marc Heyns, Marc Meuris, Paul Mertens
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Abstract
A method for removing organic contaminants from a semiconductor surface whereby the semiconductor is held in a tank and the tank is filled with a fluid such as a liquid or a gas. Organic contaminants, such as photoresist, photoresidue, and dry etched residue, occur in process steps of semiconductor fabrication and at times, require removal. The organic contaminants are removed from the semiconductor surface by holding the semiconductor inside a tank. The method is practiced using gas phase processing. The tank is filled with a gas mixture, comprising water vapor and ozone.
Claims32
A method for removing organic contaminants from a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- holding said substrate in a tank, said substrate having at least one side;
- filling said tank with a gas mixture comprising water vapour and ozone, said gas mixture being at a temperature higher than room temperature;
- and
- contacting at least a portion of one side of the substrate with the gas mixture,
- wherein the gas mixture removes the organic contaminants from the at least one side of the substrate, and
- wherein said step of filling said tank with a gas mixture comprises the steps of:
- supplying to said tank a solution comprising water, the solution level in said tank being substantially below said substrate;
- heating the solution thereby creating a vapor comprising water in said tank;
- and
- filling said tank with ozone gas.
A method for removing organic contaminants from a substrate comprising the steps of:
- holding said substrate in a tank, said substrate having at least one side, said substrate being at a temperature higher than room temperature;
- filling said tank with a gas mixture comprising water vapour and ozone;
- and
- contacting at least a portion of one side of the substrate with the gas mixture,
- wherein the gas mixture removes the organic contaminants from the at least one side of the substrate;
- and
- wherein said step of filling said tank with a gas mixture comprising water vapour and ozone comprises the steps of:
- supplying to said tank a solution comprising water, the solution level in said tank remaining substantially below said substrate;
- heating the solution thereby creating a vapor comprising water in said tank;
- and
- filling said tank with ozone gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.