Substrate cleaning method and apparatus
By combining TEBO mega-sonic cleaning with gas-liquid atomization cleaning, the problems of pattern structure damage and incomplete particle removal in traditional cleaning methods are solved, achieving efficient cleaning of particles of different sizes, especially the complete removal of small and large particles.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2019-11-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies struggle to efficiently remove particles of various sizes from semiconductor substrates without damaging the patterned structure. In particular, traditional ultrasonic/megason cleaning can easily damage the patterned structure and cannot remove particles of all sizes in one go.
The method employs TEBO megason cleaning combined with gas-liquid atomization cleaning. TEBO is used to remove small particles, while gas-liquid atomization is used to remove large particles. The particle removal efficiency is improved through alternating steps and a drying process.
While not damaging the pattern structure, it achieves efficient removal of small particles of 0.5um and below and large particles of 0.5um and above, reaching the maximum particle removal efficiency.
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Figure CN115023790B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates primarily to the field of semiconductor wet cleaning, and more particularly to a substrate cleaning method and apparatus. Background Technology
[0002] As semiconductor chips become increasingly smaller, the main challenge in semiconductor cleaning technology lies in improving particle removal efficiency (PRA) while controlling the defect rate of the product. When the substrate being cleaned contains patterned structures, the thoroughness of the cleaning of these patterns is a crucial factor affecting device yield. If the patterned structures are not cleaned completely, particle residues will remain, leading to subsequent electrical faults, short circuits, or open circuits.
[0003] Furthermore, with the rapid development of semiconductor manufacturing processes and R&D capabilities, the feature size of devices is gradually decreasing. When the technology node reaches 28nm or smaller, higher requirements are placed on the control of critical dimensions. To reduce or even eliminate the impact of critical dimensions, mild diluted chemical reagents are needed, such as SC1, SC2, SPM, and hydrofluoric acid. Simultaneously, to enhance the cleaning effect, physical cleaning methods, such as ultrasonic / megasonic cleaning and gas-liquid atomization cleaning, are often used in conjunction with chemical cleaning. However, judging from the industry's cleaning practices, the cleaning efficiency of using ultrasonic cleaning or gas-liquid atomization cleaning alone is still unsatisfactory, because it is difficult to effectively control the intensity of the ultrasonic energy or the gas-liquid atomization flow rate during cleaning.
[0004] For ultrasonic / megason-assisted wet cleaning, acoustic energy is the key factor limiting the cleaning effect. Taking megason cleaning as an example, its mechanism is as follows: a high-frequency (0.8–1.0 MHz) alternating current excites a piezoelectric resonator crystal, causing it to vibrate and generate acoustic waves. These acoustic waves form a thin acoustic boundary layer near the substrate surface and generate pressure in the solution. The vibration and the high energy of the ultra-high frequency generate a large acoustic pressure gradient, particle velocity, and acoustic flow, which, combined with the chemical reaction of the chemical cleaning agent, jointly clean the substrate.
[0005] Megasonic waves act on liquid media. Due to the alternating sound pressure generated by the excitation of a piezoelectric resonator by alternating current, a point in the medium will undergo a periodic compression and expansion process. The generation mechanism of cavitation bubbles is as follows: when the amplitude of the alternating sound pressure at a certain point is less than the saturated vapor pressure of the liquid at that point at the current temperature, a negative pressure appears. The gas originally dissolved in the liquid precipitates in the form of gas nuclei. Under the action of negative pressure, the cavitation nuclei grow rapidly within the sound wave expansion phase, with the diameter of the cavitation nuclei ranging from a few micrometers to tens of micrometers. The rupture mechanism of cavitation bubbles is as follows: in the subsequent compression phase, the bubble volume decreases sharply under the action of positive pressure, which then generates nonlinear oscillations (steady-state cavitation); or after the sound pressure reaches a certain threshold (cavitation threshold), it rapidly closes until it collapses (instantaneous cavitation), generating extremely large energy, sufficient to overcome the particle adhesion force on the surface of an object. In the extremely small spatial region inside and outside the bubble, before the bubble closes and collapses, high temperature and high pressure (5000K, 1800 atm) and even sonoluminescence phenomena are generated inside the bubble. This causes physicochemical changes within the bubble that are difficult to occur at room temperature. Outside the bubble, the violent collapse and disintegration generate a powerful outward-radiating impact microjet with velocities reaching several Mach. Simultaneously, the release of high pressure within the bubble and the rapid drop in temperature create an extremely large pressure gradient and temperature change rate. In traditional megasonic / ultrasonic cleaning, particle removal is typically achieved through acoustic flow and cavitation phenomena.
[0006] As semiconductor technology nodes continue to shrink, the aspect ratio of device trenches or vias increases, while the complexity of process patterns becomes increasingly higher and the hardness increasingly brittle. Traditional ultrasonic / megason cleaning methods face more and more challenges. The shock waves and microjets generated by the instantaneous cavitation and explosion of bubbles can easily cause damage to the patterned structure. Figure 1A-1D The image shows the patterned structural damage caused by conventional ultrasonic / megason cleaning. Figure 1A The distribution of SEM scan points is shown. Before cleaning, 50 points were randomly selected for SEM scanning as preliminary data. After megasonic or ultrasonic cleaning, these points were scanned again to check for structural collapse. Figure 1B-1D SEM scan images of graphic structural damage are shown.
[0007] Furthermore, during IC manufacturing, particles of different sizes adhere to the substrate surface. A single physical-assisted wet cleaning method cannot remove particles of all sizes in one go. Therefore, there is a need to develop a new substrate cleaning method and apparatus for removing both large and small particles, efficiently removing particles of various sizes while minimizing or eliminating damage to the pattern structure. Summary of the Invention
[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a substrate cleaning method and apparatus for removing particles from a substrate, and to achieve maximum particle removal efficiency with little or no damage to the device.
[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for cleaning a substrate having a patterned structure includes the following steps: cleaning the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization; cleaning the substrate surface using TEBO megaacoustic waves; and drying the substrate.
[0010] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for cleaning a substrate having a patterned structure includes the following steps: cleaning the substrate surface using TEBO megaacoustic waves; cleaning the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization; and drying the substrate.
[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for cleaning a substrate having a patterned structure includes: a substrate clamp for holding the substrate; a megasonic cleaning device for providing TEBO megasonic cleaning; and a gas-liquid atomization cleaning device for providing gas-liquid atomization cleaning.
[0012] As described above, the present invention uses TEBO megasonic cleaning to remove small particles on the substrate and gas-liquid atomization cleaning to remove large particles on the substrate in a process formulation, and then dries the substrate, achieving good cleaning results with little or no damage to the device. Attached Figure Description
[0013] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this application; they are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and, together with this specification, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0014] Figure 1A The distribution of SEM scan points is illustrated. Figure 1B-1D This illustrates SEM images of the graphic structure damage caused by traditional ultrasonic or megasonic cleaning.
[0015] Figure 2A This is a table of process parameters for the TEBO megaacoustic-assisted wet cleaning procedure of the present invention. Figure 2B This table shows the test results of a wet cleaning process assisted by TEBO megasonometers. Figure 2C A graph showing the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and particle size when using a TEBO megason-assisted wet cleaning process.
[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a gas-liquid atomization cleaning device.
[0017] Figure 4A A table of process parameters for a wet cleaning procedure assisted by gas-liquid atomization. Figure 4B This is a table showing the test results of a wet cleaning procedure assisted by gas-liquid atomization. Figure 4CThis is a graph showing the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and particle size when using a gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning process.
[0018] Figure 5 The graph shows the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and pattern damage defects versus gas flow rate when using a gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning process.
[0019] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a substrate cleaning method according to an optional embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a substrate cleaning method according to another optional embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 8 This is a table of process parameters for a substrate cleaning method according to an optional embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 9 This is a table showing the test results of using the substrate cleaning method of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to an optional embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 11 for Figure 10 The bottom view of the substrate cleaning assembly of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown.
[0025] Figure 12 for Figure 10 Another perspective view of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown.
[0026] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a substrate cleaning apparatus according to another optional embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Another schematic diagram of the substrate cleaning apparatus shown. Detailed Implementation
[0028] In traditional ultrasonic or megasonic-assisted wet cleaning, the patterned structure on the substrate is easily damaged by the microjets generated by the instantaneous cavitation explosion of bubbles. To address this issue, a novel acoustic cleaning technology called Timely Energized Bubble Oscillation (TEBO) has emerged. This technology can clean substrates with patterned structures without damaging them. TEBO technology can control the cavitation oscillations generated by ultrasonic or megasonic waves during the cleaning process, thereby achieving stable or controllable cavitation oscillations across the entire substrate, effectively removing particles from the substrate without damaging the device structure. The entire contents of PCT application PCT / CN2015 / 079342, filed on May 20, 2015, are incorporated herein by reference.
[0029] refer to Figure 2A The diagram illustrates a TEBO-assisted wet cleaning procedure according to the present invention. This TEBO-assisted wet cleaning procedure includes the following steps:
[0030] Step 1: Pre-clean the patterned wafer using deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This pre-cleaning step is performed by delivering deionized carbon dioxide water at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm and a temperature of 23-65°C to the wafer rotating at 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of the deionized carbon dioxide water is 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0031] Step 2: Clean the wafer using TEBO megasonic wave and SC1 solution, with a time setting range of 15-300 seconds. This cleaning step is performed as follows: SC1 solution is delivered to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a solution temperature of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed of 10-100 rpm. The chemical ratio of the SC1 (NH4OH:H2O2:H2O) solution is 1:4:20-1:1:500. The power range of the TEBO megasonic wave is 10-100 watts. The power-on duty cycle is 1%-5%. The TEBO megasonic wave pulse period is 2-10 ms.
[0032] Step 3: Clean the wafer with deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This post-cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of the deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0033] Step 4: Drying the wafer. This drying step is performed as follows: Nitrogen gas is sprayed onto the wafer surface. The nitrogen flow rate range is 5-30 lpm, the nitrogen temperature range is 23-65℃, the wafer rotation speed range is 2000-2500 rpm, and the time setting range is 20-60 seconds.
[0034] Figure 2B This table shows the test results after cleaning wafers using the TEBO megasonic-assisted wet cleaning process. The test results indicate that this method has high removal efficiency for particles with a size of 0.5 μm or smaller; however, its removal efficiency is lower for larger particles larger than 0.5 μm. Therefore, the TEBO megasonic-assisted wet cleaning process can remove particles with a size of 0.5 μm or smaller. Figure 2C This graph illustrates the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and particle size when cleaning wafers using the TEBO megasonic-assisted wet cleaning process. The graph shows that when using TEBO megasonic-assisted wet cleaning to remove particles from patterned wafers, the PRE gradually decreases with increasing particle size. Therefore, TEBO megasonic cleaning effectively removes small particles of 0.5 μm and below while minimizing or eliminating damage to the patterned structure; however, it cannot efficiently remove large particles larger than 0.5 μm without damaging the patterned structure. Compared to traditional megasonic cleaning methods, the flow generated by oscillating bubbles (also known as microfluidics) is considered to play a major role in particle removal in TEBO cleaning technology, given its ability to control shock waves and microjets generated by unstable cavitation oscillations. Therefore, TEBO cleaning technology has superior removal efficiency for small particles, but its ability to remove large particles is weaker.
[0035] In this invention, TEBO megasonic cleaning technology solves the problem of small particle removal in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. However, in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, in addition to small particles, large particles also exist on the substrate. Therefore, not only small particles need to be removed, but large particles also need to be removed.
[0036] Reference Figure 3The diagram illustrates a gas-liquid atomization cleaning apparatus. The apparatus includes a substrate clamp 301, a liquid delivery pipe 303, a gas delivery pipe 304, and a nozzle 305. Both the liquid delivery pipe 303 and the gas delivery pipe 304 are connected to the nozzle 305. The gas in the gas delivery pipe 304 is preferably nitrogen, carbon dioxide, compressed air, etc. The liquid in the liquid delivery pipe 303 is preferably a chemical liquid or deionized water, etc. The types of gas and liquid are determined according to process requirements. When cleaning the substrate 302, the substrate 302 is placed on the substrate clamp 301. The substrate clamp 301 is driven by an external force to rotate at a certain speed, causing the substrate 302 to rotate together with the substrate clamp 301. The cleaning liquid is first sprayed onto the surface of the substrate 302 for pre-cleaning. Then, the cleaning liquid is atomized into tiny droplets, accelerated by a compressed gas flow, and sprayed onto the surface of the substrate 302 through the nozzle 305, thereby promoting the removal of particles from the surface of the substrate 302. Nozzle 305 can sweep across substrate 302, and the distance between nozzle 305 and the surface of substrate 302 can be flexibly changed during the spraying process. Spray cleaning involves the synergistic effect of millions of small droplets on the substrate surface. The process aims to form a liquid film on substrate 302, and the droplet velocity is the most important parameter affecting particle removal. To remove particles using the van der Waals forces acting on them, the liquid surrounding the particles needs to have a sufficient flow velocity; however, the removal force is proportional to the square or cube of the particle radius, therefore, the removal force decreases at a higher rate. This makes it more difficult to remove small particles. Generally, gas-liquid atomization cleaning is effective in removing large particles 306 but has difficulty removing small particles 307, as well as particles in trenches and through-holes.
[0037] Reference Figure 4A The table shown illustrates the process parameters for a gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning procedure according to the present invention. The gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning procedure includes the following steps:
[0038] Step 1: Pre-clean the patterned wafer using deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This pre-cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65°C, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of the deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0039] Step 2: Clean the wafer using gas-liquid atomization, with a time setting range of 15-60 seconds. The gas can be nitrogen, with a flow rate range of 10-100 lpm. The liquid can be SC1 solution, with a flow rate range of 0.1-0.3 lpm. The temperature range is 23-65℃. The wafer rotation speed range is 300-100 rpm. The chemical ratio of the SC1 (NH4OH:H2O2:H2O) solution is 1:4:20-1:1:500.
[0040] Step 3: Clean the wafer with deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This post-cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of the deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0041] Step 4: Drying the wafer. This drying step is performed as follows: Nitrogen gas is sprayed onto the wafer surface. The nitrogen flow rate range is 5-30 lpm, the nitrogen temperature range is 23-65℃, the wafer rotation speed range is 2000-2500 rpm, and the time setting range is 20-60 seconds.
[0042] Reference Figure 4B and Figure 4C . Figure 4B This table shows the test results for wafer cleaning using a gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning process. The test results indicate that gas-liquid atomization cleaning can effectively remove large particles larger than 0.5 μm, with a removal efficiency approaching 100%. However, gas-liquid atomization cleaning cannot effectively remove small particles of 0.5 μm or smaller. Therefore, gas-liquid atomization cleaning for wafer cleaning has a very low small particle removal efficiency. Figure 4C The graph shows the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and particle size when using a wet cleaning process assisted by gas-liquid atomization. Figure 4C This indicates that the particle removal efficiency gradually increases with increasing particle size.
[0043] Reference Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 The graphs show the relationship between particle removal efficiency (PRE) and pattern damage defects versus gas flow rate when cleaning patterned wafers using a gas-liquid atomization-assisted wet cleaning process. Figure 5This indicates that within a certain gas flow rate range, increasing the gas flow rate can improve the removal efficiency of both large and small particles without damaging the pattern structure. However, as the gas flow rate continues to increase, the removal efficiency of both large and small particles no longer increases. Furthermore, if the gas flow rate is continuously increased, the pattern structure will be damaged. While improving the removal effect of small particles by increasing the gas flow rate, it also increases the risk of pattern structure collapse. Therefore, increasing the gas flow rate to improve the removal efficiency of small-sized particles is not feasible.
[0044] Therefore, refer to Figure 6 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for cleaning a substrate having a patterned structure is provided, the method comprising the following steps:
[0045] Step 601: Clean the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization. The gas can be nitrogen, carbon dioxide, compressed air, etc. The liquid can be carbon dioxide, deionized water, DIW, SC1 solution, or other diluted chemicals. In this step, gas-liquid atomization cleaning of the substrate surface can remove large particles on the substrate, loosen the adhesion between loose particles and the substrate surface, and break up some aggregated particles.
[0046] Step 602: Clean the substrate surface using TEBO megasonic waves. TEBO megasonic waves, in combination with deionized carbon dioxide water, DIW, SC1 solution, or other diluted chemicals, are used to clean the substrate surface. This removes contaminants and small particles that were not completely removed in previous steps. Because the aggregated particles have been loosened and broken down into smaller particles in previous steps, TEBO megasonic waves can easily remove these particles, thus improving particle removal efficiency.
[0047] Step 603: Dry the substrate. High-speed rotation can be combined with nitrogen drying, IPA drying, or other special drying chemicals to dry the substrate.
[0048] Steps 601 and 602 can be performed alternately several times to improve cleaning efficiency.
[0049] After step 602, gas-liquid atomization is used again to clean the substrate surface.
[0050] Before step 603, the following steps are further included: cleaning the substrate surface with deionized water (DIW) or carbon dioxide deionized water to remove contaminants and residual chemical liquids from the substrate surface.
[0051] Reference Figure 7As shown, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for cleaning a substrate having a patterned structure is provided, the method comprising the following steps:
[0052] Step 701: Clean the substrate surface using TEBO megasonic waves. TEBO megasonic waves, in combination with deionized carbon dioxide water, DIW, SC1 solution, or other diluted chemicals, are used to clean the substrate surface, causing small particles to detach from the patterned structure and removing them.
[0053] Step 702: Clean the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization. The gas can be nitrogen, carbon dioxide, compressed air, etc. The liquid can be carbon dioxide, deionized water, DIW, SC1 solution, or other diluted chemicals. Gas-liquid atomization can remove large particles from the substrate surface. Furthermore, small particles separated from the patterned structure using TEBO megasonic waves in the previous steps are more susceptible to the effects of jet velocity. When gas-liquid atomization is used to clean the substrate surface, the shear stress of the atomization removes small particles above the substrate patterned structure, thus improving the cleaning efficiency for small particles.
[0054] Step 703: Drying the substrate. High-speed rotation can be combined with nitrogen drying, IPA drying, or other special drying chemicals to dry the substrate.
[0055] Steps 701 and 702 can be repeated several times to improve cleaning efficiency.
[0056] After step 702, the substrate surface is cleaned again using TEBO megasonic waves.
[0057] Before step 703, the following steps are further included: cleaning the substrate surface with deionized water (DIW) or carbon dioxide deionized water to remove contaminants and residual chemical liquids from the substrate surface.
[0058] Reference Figure 8 As shown, a more detailed method for cleaning a substrate with a patterned structure according to the present invention is provided, the method comprising the following steps:
[0059] Step 1: Pre-clean the patterned wafer using deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This pre-cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65°C, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of the deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0060] Step 2: Clean the wafer using gas-liquid atomization, with a time setting range of 15-60 seconds. The gas can be nitrogen, with a gas flow rate range of 10-100 lpm. The liquid can be SC1 solution, with a solution flow rate range of 0.1-0.3 lpm. The temperature range is 23-65℃. The wafer rotation speed range is 300-1000 rpm. The chemical ratio of the SC1 (NH4OH:H2O2:H2O) solution is 1:4:20-1:1:500.
[0061] Step 3: Clean the wafer with deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0062] Step 4: Clean the wafer using TEBO megasonic wave and SC1 solution, with a time setting range of 15-300 seconds. This cleaning step is performed as follows: SC1 solution is delivered to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a solution temperature of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed of 10-100 rpm. The chemical ratio of the SC1 (NH4OH:H2O2:H2O) solution is 1:4:20-1:1:500. The megasonic wave power is 10-100 watts. The power-on duty cycle is 1%-5%. The pulse period is 2-10 ms.
[0063] Step 5: Clean the wafer with deionized carbon dioxide water for 5-60 seconds. This cleaning step is performed as follows: Deionized carbon dioxide water is supplied to the wafer surface at a flow rate of 1.2-2.0 lpm, a temperature range of 23-65℃, and a wafer rotation speed range of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity of deionized carbon dioxide water ranges from 0.05-18 MΩ*cm.
[0064] Step 6: Drying the wafer. This drying step is performed as follows: Nitrogen gas is sprayed onto the wafer surface. The nitrogen flow rate range is 5-30 lpm, the nitrogen temperature range is 23-65℃, the wafer rotation speed range is 2000-2500 rpm, and the time setting range is 20-60 seconds.
[0065] Figure 8 The process conditions described above also apply to... Figure 6 and Figure 7 The method shown in the text.
[0066] Figure 9The table shows the test results of the substrate cleaning method of this invention. The test results indicate that small particles (0.5 μm or less) and large particles (greater than 0.5 μm) can be effectively removed. The particle removal efficiency (PRE) for both large and small particles can reach 100%. In one process formulation, this invention provides TEBO megasonic cleaning to remove small particles, combined with gas-liquid atomization cleaning to remove large particles, achieving maximum particle removal efficiency while minimizing or eliminating damage to the patterned structure.
[0067] Reference Figures 10 to 12 A substrate cleaning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate clamp 1010 and a substrate cleaning module. The substrate clamp 1010 is used to hold a substrate 1000 for cleaning the substrate 1000. The substrate clamp 1010 includes a substrate chuck 1011, a rotating shaft 1012, and a drive mechanism 1013. The substrate chuck 1011 is connected to the rotating shaft 1012, and the rotating shaft 1012 is connected to the drive mechanism 1013. For cleaning the substrate 1000, the substrate 1000 is held by the substrate chuck 1011. The drive mechanism 1013 drives the rotating shaft 1012 to rotate, thereby causing the substrate chuck 1011 and the substrate 1000 to rotate.
[0068] The substrate cleaning module includes a megasonic cleaning device 1020 for providing TEBO megasonic cleaning and a gas-liquid atomization cleaning device 1030 for providing gas-liquid atomization cleaning. The megasonic cleaning device 1020 includes a protective cover 1021. A megasonic generator 1022 is fixed to the bottom of the protective cover 1021. One side of the protective cover 1021 is connected to a connecting arm 1023. The connecting arm 1023 is connected to a connecting shaft 1024. The connecting shaft 1024 is connected to a driver 1025. The driver 1025 can drive the connecting shaft 1024 to rotate and move up and down, thereby driving the megasonic generator 1022 to rotate and move up and down via the connecting arm 1023 and the protective cover 1021. The other side of the protective cover 1021 is connected to a nozzle assembly 1026. The nozzle assembly 1026 is located in front of the megasonic generator 1022. The nozzle assembly 1026 has a first nozzle 1027 and a second nozzle 1028 for spraying carbon dioxide deionized water, DIW, SC1 or other diluted chemicals onto the substrate 1000.
[0069] The gas-liquid atomizing cleaning device 1030 includes a fixing component 1031 and a gas-liquid atomizer 1032. The gas-liquid atomizer 1032 is fixed to the nozzle assembly 1026 by the fixing component 1031. In this way, the driver 1025 drives the connecting shaft 1024 to rotate and move up and down, thereby driving the gas-liquid atomizer 1032 to rotate and move up and down through the connecting arm 1023, the protective cover 1021, and the nozzle assembly 1026. The gas-liquid atomizer 1032 has a liquid inlet pipe 1033, an air inlet pipe 1034, and a nozzle 1035, which generates atomized droplets and sprays them onto the substrate 1000 through the nozzle 1035.
[0070] When cleaning substrate 1000 using a substrate cleaning device, Figures 6 to 8 The process steps and conditions disclosed herein are applied to this substrate cleaning apparatus, thus effectively removing small particles with a size less than or equal to 0.5 μm or large particles with a size greater than 0.5 μm from the substrate 1000. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the megasonic cleaning apparatus 1020 and the gas-liquid atomization cleaning apparatus 1030 are located in the same process chamber and share a single driver 1025, saving cost and space.
[0071] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 A substrate cleaning apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate clamp 1310 for holding a substrate 1300, a megasonic cleaning device 1320 for providing TEBO megasonic cleaning, a gas-liquid atomization cleaning device 1330 for providing gas-liquid atomization cleaning, and a process chamber 1360. The substrate clamp 1310, the megasonic cleaning device 1320, and the gas-liquid atomization cleaning device 1330 are located in the process chamber 1360. The substrate clamp 1310 and the megasonic cleaning device 1320 in this embodiment are the same as those in the previous embodiment, and will not be described again here.
[0072] The gas-liquid atomizing cleaning device 1330 includes a gas-liquid atomizer 1332, a support arm 1337, a support shaft 1336, and an actuator. The gas-liquid atomizer 1332 is fixed to one end of the support arm 1337 and supported by the support arm 1337. The other end of the support arm 1337 is connected to the support shaft 1336. The support shaft 1336 is connected to the actuator. The actuator can drive the support shaft 1336 to rotate and move up and down, thereby driving the gas-liquid atomizer 1332 to rotate and move up and down. The gas-liquid atomizer 1332 has a liquid inlet pipe, an air inlet pipe, and a nozzle, which generates atomized droplets and sprays them onto the substrate 1300 through the nozzle.
[0073] Preferably, the substrate cleaning apparatus further includes a first cleaning tank 1340 and a second cleaning tank 1350. The first cleaning tank 1340 is configured to clean the megasonic generator when it is idle. The second cleaning tank 1350 is configured to clean the gas-liquid atomizer 1332 when it is idle.
[0074] When cleaning substrate 1300 using a substrate cleaning device, Figures 6 to 8 The process steps and conditions disclosed herein are applied to this substrate cleaning apparatus, thus effectively removing small particles with a size less than or equal to 0.5 μm or large particles with a size greater than 0.5 μm from the substrate 1300. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the megasonic cleaning apparatus 1320 and the gas-liquid atomization cleaning apparatus 1330 are located in the same process chamber 1360, saving cost and space.
[0075] The foregoing description of the present invention is intended to explain the technical solutions. The technical solutions of the present invention are not limited to the specific forms disclosed in this embodiment. Obviously, various modifications and variations can be made based on the teachings given above. These modifications and variations, which are obvious to those skilled in the art, are all within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.
Claims
1. A method for cleaning a substrate with a patterned structure, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A gas-liquid atomization cleaning device is used to perform gas-liquid atomization cleaning on the substrate surface to remove large particles and loose particles adhering to the substrate, and to break up some aggregated particles. The gas flow rate in the gas-liquid atomization cleaning is 10-40 lpm. The gas-liquid atomization cleaning device includes a support arm, a gas-liquid atomizer, and a support shaft. The gas-liquid atomizer is fixed to one end of the support arm, and the support shaft is connected to the other end of the support arm. The size of the large particles is greater than 0.5 μm. The substrate surface is cleaned using a megasonic cleaning device to remove small particles and contaminants that were not completely removed in the previous steps. The power of the megasonic waves in the TEBO megasonic cleaning is 10 to 100 watts. The megasonic cleaning device includes a protective cover, a megasonic generator, and a connecting arm. The megasonic generator is fixed to the bottom of the protective cover, and the connecting arm is connected to one side of the protective cover. The size of the small particles is less than or equal to 0.5 μm. The megasonic generator in the megasonic cleaning device is cleaned using the first cleaning tank. Use the second cleaning tank to clean the gas-liquid atomizer in the gas-liquid atomization cleaning device. as well as Dry the substrate.
2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps of cleaning the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization and cleaning the substrate surface using TEBO mega-sonic waves are performed alternately several times.
3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After the step of cleaning the substrate surface using TEBO megaacoustic waves, the substrate surface is cleaned again using gas-liquid atomization.
4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Prior to the substrate drying step, the substrate surface is cleaned using deionized water or carbon dioxide deionized water.
5. A method for cleaning a substrate with a patterned structure, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The substrate surface is cleaned using a megasonic cleaning device to remove small particles from the patterned structure. The power of the megasonic waves in the TEBO megasonic cleaning is 10 to 100 watts. The megasonic cleaning device includes a protective cover, a megasonic generator, and a connecting arm. The megasonic generator is fixed to the bottom of the protective cover, and the connecting arm is connected to one side of the protective cover. The size of the small particles is less than or equal to 0.5 μm. The substrate surface is cleaned using a gas-liquid atomization cleaning device to remove large particles and small particles that have been separated from the pattern structure. The gas flow rate in the gas-liquid atomization cleaning is 10-40 lpm. The gas-liquid atomization cleaning device includes a support arm, a gas-liquid atomizer, and a support shaft. The gas-liquid atomizer is fixed to one end of the support arm, and the support shaft is connected to the other end of the support arm. The size of the large particles is greater than 0.5 μm. The megasonic generator in the megasonic cleaning device is cleaned using the first cleaning tank. Use the second cleaning tank to clean the gas-liquid atomizer in the gas-liquid atomization cleaning device. as well as Dry the substrate.
6. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The steps of cleaning the substrate surface using TEBO mega-sonic waves and cleaning the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization are performed alternately several times.
7. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After the step of cleaning the substrate surface using gas-liquid atomization, the substrate surface is cleaned again using TEBO megasonic cleaning.
8. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Prior to the substrate drying step, the substrate surface is cleaned using deionized water or carbon dioxide deionized water.
9. An apparatus for cleaning a substrate with a patterned structure, characterized in that, include: Substrate clamps are used to hold substrates. A megasonic cleaning device is used to provide TEBO megasonic cleaning to detach small particles from the inside of a patterned structure and remove the small particles. The power of the megasonic waves in the TEBO megasonic cleaning is 10 to 100 watts. The megasonic cleaning device includes a protective cover, a megasonic generator, and a connecting arm. The megasonic generator is fixed to the bottom of the protective cover, and the connecting arm is connected to one side of the protective cover. The size of the small particles is less than or equal to 0.5 μm. as well as A gas-liquid atomization cleaning device is used to provide gas-liquid atomization cleaning to remove large particles and small particles that have been separated from the inside of the patterned structure. The gas flow rate in the gas-liquid atomization cleaning is 10-40 lpm. The gas-liquid atomization cleaning device includes a support arm, a gas-liquid atomizer, and a support shaft. The gas-liquid atomizer is fixed to one end of the support arm, and the support shaft is connected to the other end of the support arm. The size of the large particles is greater than 0.5 μm. The first cleaning tank is used to clean the megasonic generator; as well as The second cleaning tank is used to clean the gas-liquid atomizer.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The aforementioned mega-sonic cleaning device further includes: The connecting shaft is connected to the connecting arm; and The driver, connected to the connecting shaft, is used to drive the connecting shaft to rotate and move up and down.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The gas-liquid atomizer has a liquid inlet pipe, an air inlet pipe, and a nozzle.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a process chamber, in which the substrate fixture, mega-sonic cleaning device and gas-liquid atomization cleaning device are located.
Citation Information
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