# US 8,771,535 B2 · Sample contamination method

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- Number: US 8,771,535 B2
- Document ID: US8771535B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/188,719
- Filed: 2011-07-22
- Published: 2012-06-14
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-10
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Applicants: Yuji Yamada; Makiko Katano; Ayako Mizuno; Eri Uemura; Asuka Uchinuno; Chikashi Takeuchi
- Inventors: Yuji Yamada; Makiko Katano; Ayako Mizuno; Eri Uemura; Asuka Uchinuno; Chikashi Takeuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771535B2

## CPC

- H10P 70/00: Cleaning of wafers, substrates or parts of devices
- G01N 1/2813: {Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence)}
- H10P 74/20: characterised by the properties tested or measured, e.g. structural or electrical properties
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A sample contamination method according to an embodiment includes spraying a chemical solution containing contaminants into a casing, carrying a semiconductor substrate into the casing filled with the chemical solution by the spraying, leaving the semiconductor substrate in the casing filled with the chemical solution for a predetermined time, and carrying the semiconductor substrate out of the casing after the predetermined time passes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sample contamination method, comprising:
introducing a chemical solution containing metal contaminants in the form of chemical liquid drops into a casing;
carrying a semiconductor substrate in a state of lying on a substrate container into the casing filled with the chemical liquid drops;
leaving the semiconductor substrate in the casing filled with the chemical liquid drops for a first predetermined time; and
carrying the semiconductor substrate out of the casing after the first predetermined time passes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
between the steps of introducing the chemical solution into the casing and carrying the semiconductor substrate into the casing filled with the chemical liquid drops stopping the introducing of the chemical solution.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
before the step of introducing the chemical solution into the casing, carrying the semiconductor substrate into the casing, introducing hydrogen fluoride (HF) mist into the casing to remove an oxide film formed on the semiconductor substrate, and changing a surface of the semiconductor substrate from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
before the step of introducing the chemical solution into the casing, removing, from the chemical solution, liquid drops with a particle diameter equal to or larger than a predetermined value in a spray chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
before the step of carrying the semiconductor substrate into the casing filled with the chemical liquid drops, leaving at rest for a second predetermined time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
spraying the chemical solution into the casing for a third predetermined time when carrying the semiconductor substrate into the casing filled with the chemical liquid drops.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the contaminants further contain organic matters.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first predetermined time is one minute.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4,
wherein the predetermined value is 40 μm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5,
wherein the second predetermined time is 30 seconds.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
covering a part of the substrate before carrying the semiconductor substrate into the casing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the chemical solution is introduced from the side of the casing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the chemical solution is introduced in the form of liquid drops by a nebulizer.