# US 7,608,548 B2 · Method for cleaning a multilayer substrate and method for bonding substrates and method for producing a bonded wafer

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- Number: US 7,608,548 B2
- Document ID: US7608548B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/570,949
- Filed: 2004-09-07
- Published: 2007-02-01
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2003-09-10
- Assignees: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Isao Yokokawa; Kiyoshi Mitani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608548B2

## CPC

- H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)}
- H10P 90/1916: {with separation or delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut}
- H10W 10/181: {Semiconductor-on-insulator [SOI] isolation regions, e.g. buried oxide regions of SOI wafers}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Disclosed is a method for cleaning a multilayer substrate at least having a silicon single crystal wafer with a SiGe layer epitaxially grown on a surface of the silicon single crystal wafer, where the SiGe layer is an outermost surface of the SiGe layer and then cleaning the multilayer substrate with a first cleaning liquid capable of etching the protective film so that the protective film remains. The protective film prevents roughening of the surface of the SiGe layer while the cleaning is performed. The cleaning is performed. The cleaning is performed so that a thickness of the remaining protective film is from 1 nm to 100 nm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for cleaning a multilayer substrate at least having a silicon single crystal wafer with a SiGe layer epitaxially grown on a surface of the silicon single crystal wafer, wherein the SiGe layer is an outermost surface layer of the substrate, the method comprising:
forming a protective film on a surface of the SiGe layer, and then
cleaning the multilayer substrate with a first cleaning liquid capable of etching the protective film so that the protective film remains, wherein the protective film prevents roughening of the surface of the SiGe layer while the cleaning is performed,
wherein the cleaning is performed so that a thickness of the remaining protective film is from 1 nm to 100 nm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 1, wherein a composition or a temperature of the first cleaning liquid or a cleaning time is adjusted and thereby the thickness of the remaining protective film is adjusted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer substrate cleaned with the first cleaning liquid is cleaned with a second cleaning liquid which is capable of etching the protective film and which has a smaller etching rate for the protective film than the first cleaning liquid so that the protective film is removed and that the SiGe layer is exposed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method for bonding substrates, wherein a surface of the SiGe layer or the protective film which is an outermost surface layer of the multilayer substrate cleaned by using the method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 1 and a surface of another substrate are bonded directly or through an insulator film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 1, wherein the protective film consisting of Si is used, and the first cleaning liquid consisting of a mixed aqueous solution of NH4OH and H2O2 is used.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 5, wherein the multilayer substrate cleaned with the first cleaning liquid is cleaned with a second cleaning liquid which is capable of etching the protective film and which has a smaller etching rate for the protective film than the first cleaning liquid so that the protective film is removed and that the SiGe layer is exposed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 6, wherein the second cleaning liquid consisting of a mixed aqueous solution of NH4OH and H2O2 is used.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 7, wherein a temperature of the second cleaning liquid is lower than a temperature of the first cleaning liquid.

### Claim 9

A method for cleaning a multilayer substrate at least having a silicon single crystal wafer with a SiGe layer epitaxially grown on a surface of the silicon single crystal wafer, wherein the SiGe layer is an outermost surface layer of the substrate, the method comprising:
forming a protective film consisting of Si on a surface of the SiGe layer,
cleaning the multilayer substrate with a first cleaning liquid consisting of a mixed aqueous solution of NH4OH and H2O2, which is capable of etching the protective film so that the protective film remains, wherein the protective film prevents roughening of the surface of the SiGe layer while the cleaning is performed, and then
cleaning the multilayer substrate cleaned with the first cleaning liquid with a second cleaning liquid consisting of a mixed aqueous solution of NH4OH and H2O2, which is capable of etching the protective film and which has a smaller etching rate for the protective film than the first cleaning liquid so that the protective film is removed and that the SiGe layer is exposed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 9, wherein a composition or a temperature of the first cleaning liquid or a cleaning time is adjusted and thereby a thickness of the remaining protective film is adjusted.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning is performed so that a thickness of the remaining protective film is from 1 nm to 100 nm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 9, wherein a temperature of the second cleaning liquid is lower than a temperature of the first cleaning liquid.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

A method for bonding substrates, wherein a surface of the SiGe layer or the protective film which is an outermost surface layer of the multilayer substrate cleaned by using the method for cleaning a multilayer substrate according to claim 9 and a surface of another substrate are bonded directly or through an insulator film.