Process equipment for cleaning processes and methods for manufacturing semiconductor components

Abstract

In some embodiments, this disclosure relates to a process apparatus for a cleaning process and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly, the process apparatus including a chamber housing defining a process cavity. A wafer chuck is located within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate. Furthermore, a bell jar structure is disposed on the wafer chuck such that the opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck. A plasma coil is disposed on the bell jar structure. An oxygen source is coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver oxygen into the process cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to process equipment for cleaning processes and semiconductor process methods. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor component manufacturing is the process used to build integrated circuits found in everyday electronic components. The manufacturing process is a multi-step procedure involving photolithography and chemical processing, during which electronic circuits are gradually built onto a wafer composed of semiconductor materials. Between the photolithography and chemical processing steps, cleaning processes can be used to remove any contaminant particles to reduce physical and electrical defects in the integrated circuits. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a process equipment including: a chamber housing defining a process cavity; a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate; a bell jar structure disposed on the wafer chuck, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck; a plasma coil disposed on the bell jar structure; and an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver oxygen into the process cavity.

[0004] This disclosure provides a process apparatus comprising: a chamber housing defining a process cavity in a vacuum; a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate; a plasma coil disposed on the wafer chuck; an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity for supplying oxygen to the process cavity; a heating element disposed within the process cavity and configured to increase the temperature of the process cavity; and a bell jar structure disposed between the wafer chuck and the plasma coil, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck.

[0005] This disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component, comprising: forming a dielectric layer on a conductive structure on a substrate; performing a removal process to remove a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a portion of the conductive structure; conveying the substrate to a cleaning chamber, the cleaning chamber including a wafer chuck disposed below a bell jar structure; performing a cleaning process to clean the exposed portion of the conductive structure: activating an inert gas source to introduce inert gas into the cleaning chamber, activating an oxygen source to introduce oxygen into the cleaning chamber, applying a bias voltage to a plasma coil to form a plasma gas in the cleaning chamber, and applying a bias voltage to the wafer chuck; removing the substrate from the cleaning chamber; and forming a conductive layer on the dielectric layer, the conductive layer being coupled to the exposed portion of the conductive structure. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The various aspects of the invention will be best understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, according to standard practice in the industry, the various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, for clarity of explanation, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased.

[0007] Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of some embodiments of a cleaning apparatus, including a bell jar structure disposed above a wafer chuck within a process cavity, wherein an oxygen source is coupled to the process cavity.

[0008] Figure 2 A perspective view showing some embodiments of the bell jar structure.

[0009] Figure 3 Cross-sectional views of some other embodiments of the cleaning apparatus are shown, which includes a bell jar structure disposed on a wafer chuck and a heating element disposed inside a process cavity.

[0010] Figure 4 Cross-sectional views of some embodiments of a cleaning device connected to another process chamber are shown.

[0011] Figure 5-11 Cross-sectional views are shown of some embodiments of a method for removing metal oxide residues from a conductive structure by performing a cleaning process using a process chamber including a bell jar structure, an oxygen source, and a heating element.

[0012] Figure 12 Showing the corresponding Figure 5-11 The flowchart shows some embodiments of the method.

[0013] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0014] 100, 300, 400, 500, 500-1100, 600, 700, 800A, 800A-800C, 800B, 800C, 900, 1000, 1100: Sectional View

[0015] 102: Process cavity shell

[0016] 104: Process cavity

[0017] 106: Base

[0018] 108: Wafer Chuck

[0019] 110: Input pipe

[0020] 112: Oxygen source

[0021] 114: First inert gas source

[0022] 116: Second inert gas source

[0023] 118: Output pipe

[0024] 120: Vacuum pump

[0025] 122: Plasma coil

[0026] 124: Radio Frequency Power Circuit

[0027] 126: Chuck Circuit

[0028] 128: Bell Jar Structure

[0029] 128a, 602: Opening

[0030] 128b: Closed top

[0031] 129: Wafer

[0032] 130: Substrate

[0033] 132: Dielectric layer

[0034] 134: Conductive Structure

[0035] 134t: Top surface

[0036] 136: Mask structure

[0037] 200: Stereoscopic View

[0038] 302: First heating element

[0039] 304: Second heating element

[0040] 402: Machine casing

[0041] 404: Additional process chamber enclosure

[0042] 406: Additional wafer chuck

[0043] 412: Transmission circuit

[0044] 414: Transport Robot

[0045] 416: Teleport

[0046] 604: Metal oxide residue

[0047] 701: Transportation

[0048] 802, 806, 808, 810: Arrows

[0049] 804: Line

[0050] 1102: Additional conductive structure

[0051] 1200: Method

[0052] 1202, 1204, 1206, 1208, 1210, 1212: Actions

[0053] d1: First distance

[0054] d2: Second distance

[0055] d3: Third distance

[0056] d4: Fourth distance Detailed Implementation

[0057] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same element symbols are used in the drawings and description to denote the same or similar parts.

[0058] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or instances of various features for implementing the provided objectives. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify this disclosure. Of course, these are merely examples and not intended to be limiting. For example, the description of a first feature being formed "on" or "on" a second feature in the following description may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed between the first and second features such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be reused in various instances of this disclosure. Such reuse is for the purpose of brevity and clarity and is not intended to indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.

[0059] Furthermore, for ease of explanation, spatially relative terms such as "below," "under," "lower," "above," and "upper" may be used herein to describe the relationship between one component or feature illustrated in the figures and another component or feature. In addition to the orientations shown in the figures, these spatially relative terms are also intended to cover different orientations of the device during use or operation. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive terms used herein shall be interpreted accordingly.

[0060] Semiconductor components typically include multiple conductive structures disposed within a dielectric layer, through which signals (e.g., current, voltage) can travel. These conductive structures can be formed using various deposition, photolithography, and removal processes. The conductive structures typically comprise a metal that may oxidize when exposed to the environment, for example, during a removal process. Therefore, during the fabrication of the conductive structures, cleaning processes are used to remove metal oxide residues from the exposed portions of the conductive structures. By removing these metal oxide residues, the adhesion and contact resistance between the conductive structures are improved, thereby enhancing the overall reliability of the semiconductor component.

[0061] Some cleaning processes include physical sputtering (PSP) cleaning, which relies on the chemical reduction of metal oxides by plasma to remove metal oxide residues from conductive structures. In PSP cleaning, the wafer is placed in a process chamber, and plasma gas bombards the metal oxide residues and conductive structures to remove the residues from the conductive structures. Although most of the metal oxide residues are extracted from the process chamber as metals, oxygen, and / or metal oxides, some metals may oxidize and redeposit onto the conductive structures and / or other layers before leaving the chamber. Furthermore, some metal oxides, such as tungsten oxide, aluminum oxide, or titanium oxide, are more likely to redeposit during the cleaning process.

[0062] Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to cleaning apparatus and corresponding methods for removing metal oxide residues from conductive structures and mitigating metal oxide redeposition on conductive structures and / or other layers. In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus includes a chamber housing defining a process cavity. A wafer chuck is disposed within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate for cleaning. A bell jar structure is disposed above the wafer chuck. The bell jar structure includes an opening facing the wafer chuck. In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus further includes a plasma coil disposed above the bell jar structure and a gas source coupled to the process cavity via a gas input conduit.

[0063] In some embodiments, one of the gas sources includes an oxygen source. Therefore, in the cleaning process, oxygen is drawn into the process chamber so that when metal from metal oxide residues is removed from plasma bombardment, the metal may react with oxygen and be redeposited as metal oxides onto the bell jar structure, rather than onto the conductive structure and / or other layers. Since the metal oxides are deposited on the bell jar structure and not just on the metal, a shielding effect between the metal-covered bell jar structure and the plasma gas can be avoided. In some embodiments, the process chamber also includes one or more heating elements pointing towards the bell jar structure to further oxidize the metal oxides onto the bell jar surface, rather than onto the conductive structure and / or other layers. In some embodiments, various inert gases are also supplied to the process chamber to promote the chemical reduction of the metal oxide residues to remove them. Therefore, this disclosure provides various configurations of the process chamber for improving the removal of metal oxide residues from conductive structures by redepositing the metal as metal oxides onto the bell jar structure, rather than redepositing the metal or metal oxides onto the conductive structure and / or other layers.

[0064] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view 100 showing some embodiments of the cleaning apparatus includes a bell jar structure and an oxygen source in a process chamber.

[0065] Figure 1 The cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber housing 102 defining a process chamber 104. In some embodiments, the process chamber 104 is configured for a cleaning process. In some embodiments, a vacuum pump 120 is coupled to the process chamber 104 via an output conduit 118, and the vacuum pump 120 is configured to generate vacuum conditions in the process chamber 104 when the cleaning apparatus is used for a cleaning process. In some embodiments, an oxygen source 112, a first inert gas source 114, and a second inert gas source 116 are coupled to the process chamber 104 via an input conduit 110. In some embodiments, the second inert gas source 116 may be omitted, such that only the first inert gas source 114 is supplied to the process chamber 104 during the cleaning process. In some embodiments, the first inert gas source 114 includes an inert gas, such as argon, krypton, or some other suitable inert gas. In some embodiments, the second inert gas source 116 may provide an inert gas different from the first inert gas source 114 in the process chamber 104. In some embodiments, the second inert gas source 116 may include an inert gas, such as argon, krypton, or some other suitable inert gas.

[0066] In some embodiments, a wafer chuck 108 is disposed near the bottom of a process cavity 104. In some embodiments, a wafer chuck 108 is disposed above a base 106. The wafer chuck 108 is configured to be secured to a wafer 129 during a cleaning process. In some embodiments, the wafer 129 includes layers on a substrate 130. For example, in some embodiments, the wafer 129 includes conductive structures 134 disposed within a dielectric layer 132 on the substrate 130. In some embodiments, a mask structure 136 is also disposed on the dielectric layer 132, and the top surface 134t of one of the conductive structures 134 is exposed to the process cavity 104. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 134 includes a metal, such as copper, aluminum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, or some other suitable conductive metal. In some embodiments, the top surface 134t of the conductive structure 134 is oxidized when exposed to the environment and / or a removal process, thereby forming metal oxide residues (not shown) on the top surface 134t of the conductive structure 134. Therefore, Figure 1 The cleaning device is configured to perform a plasma cleaning process to clean the top surface 134t of the exposed portion of the conductive structure 134 by removing metal oxide residues.

[0067] In some embodiments, a plasma coil 122 is disposed near the top of the process cavity 104 and above the wafer chuck 108. In some embodiments, the plasma coil 122 has a ring-shaped structure when viewed from above. In some embodiments, the plasma coil 122 is coupled to a radio frequency power circuit 124 configured to operate at an RF frequency. During the cleaning process, at least a first inert gas source 114 is configured to introduce inert gas into the process cavity. When the radio frequency power circuit 124 is applied to the plasma coil 122, an electric field and / or magnetic field are generated, transferring energy to the inert gas within the process cavity to form a plasma gas. In some embodiments, a chuck circuit 126 is coupled to the base 106 and the wafer chuck 108. In the cleaning process, the chuck circuit 126 is configured to apply a bias voltage to the wafer chuck 108, such that the plasma gas is attracted to the biased wafer chuck 108 to bombard the wafer 129 with the plasma gas to remove metal oxide residues.

[0068] In some embodiments, a bell jar structure 128 is disposed within a process cavity 104 and above a wafer chuck 108. In some embodiments, the bell jar structure 128 is disposed between a plasma coil 122 and a wafer chuck 108. An opening 128a in the bell jar structure 128 faces the wafer chuck 108. In some embodiments, the bell jar structure 128 comprises glass, such as silicon oxide glass. In some embodiments, the bottom of the bell jar structure 128 is spaced from the wafer chuck 108 by a first distance d1. In some embodiments, the first distance d1 is a non-zero distance such that the bell jar structure 128 is spaced from the wafer chuck 108, and a wafer 129 is disposed on the wafer chuck. In some embodiments, the first distance d1 is in the range, for example, between approximately 1 mm and approximately 10 cm. In some embodiments, the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 has a width equal to a second distance d2. In some embodiments, the second distance d2 is in the range, for example, between approximately 30 cm and approximately 50 cm. In some embodiments, the wafer chuck 108 has a width equal to a third distance d3. In some embodiments, the second distance d2 of the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 is greater than or equal to the third distance d3 of the wafer chuck 108. Therefore, in some embodiments, the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 completely covers the wafer chuck 108.

[0069] In some embodiments, during the cleaning process, an oxygen source 112 is coupled to a process chamber 104 and configured to deliver oxygen into the process chamber 104. In some embodiments, when metal oxide residues are present on the wafer 129, the metal and oxides are chemically separated and removed through an output channel 118 when bombarded with plasma gas. In some embodiments, some metals will react with oxygen from the oxygen source 112 to form metal oxides, which are then redeposited on the bell jar structure 128 instead of returning to the wafer 129. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a second inert gas source 116 is configured to provide another inert gas into the process chamber 104 as a combustion agent and to increase the oxidation of metals on the bell jar structure 128. Therefore, in some embodiments, the bell jar structure 128, the oxygen source 112, and the second inert gas source 116 reduce the redeposition of metal oxides onto the wafer 129 to improve the cleaning process.

[0070] Figure 2 A perspective view 200 shows some embodiments of the bell jar structure.

[0071] In some embodiments, the bell jar structure 128 is a conical structure including an opening 128a and a circularly closed top 128b. In some embodiments, the walls of the bell jar structure 128 have a thickness equal to a fourth distance d4. In some embodiments, the fourth distance d4 is in the range of, for example, about 1 mm and about 10 mm. In some embodiments, a second distance d2 of the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 is the maximum width of the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128. It should be understood that other variations in the shape of the bell jar structure 128 are also within the scope of this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 may be circular, while in some other embodiments, the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 may be more elliptical. Furthermore, for example, in some embodiments, Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the bell jar structure 128 may show some planar sidewalls, while in some other embodiments, Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the bell jar structure 128 in the middle can show all the basically curved sidewalls.

[0072] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view 300 is shown for some other embodiments of the cleaning device, which includes a bell jar structure, an oxygen source, and one or more heating elements in a process chamber.

[0073] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus further includes a first heating element 302 disposed on the bell jar structure 128. In some embodiments, the first heating element 302 is a lamp or some other heating element and is configured to increase the temperature of the process chamber 104 and the bell jar structure 128. In some embodiments, the first heating element 302 is disposed on the inner wall of the process chamber housing 102. In other embodiments, the first heating element 302 may be disposed adjacent to the bell jar structure 128 and on the inner wall of the process chamber housing 102.

[0074] In some embodiments, a second heating element 304 is disposed on the bell jar structure 128. In some embodiments, the second heating element 304 is an annular structure surrounding the outer wall of the bell jar structure 128. In some other embodiments, the second heating element 304 includes a plurality of lamp-like structures spaced apart from each other but surrounding the outer wall of the bell jar structure 128. In some embodiments, the second heating element 304 is a lamp, a heat jacket, or some other heating element. In some embodiments, the second heating element 304 is also configured to increase the temperature of the bell jar structure 128. In some embodiments, the cleaning device includes only the first heating element 302, only the second heating element 304, only the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304, or includes the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304, as well as additional heating elements.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are each controlled by a circuit (not shown). The heating elements 302 and 304 are disposed on or near the bell jar structure 128 to promote an oxidation reaction between the metal and oxygen near the bell jar structure 128, thereby forming metal oxides on the bell jar structure 128 rather than on the wafer 129, thereby improving the cleaning process from the wafer 129 to metal oxide residues.

[0076] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 A cross-sectional view 400 of some embodiments of the cleaning device, which is connected to another process chamber.

[0077] In some embodiments, Figure 1 The cleaning apparatus is part of a larger machine housing 402. For example, in some embodiments, an additional process chamber defined by an additional process chamber housing 404 is disposed within the machine housing 402. In some embodiments, the additional process chamber may be, for example, a chamber for removing processes, such as an etching chamber. In some embodiments, an additional wafer chuck 406 may be disposed within the additional process chamber housing 404, and a transport robot 414 may be configured to transfer 416 and wafer 129 from the additional process chamber to the process chamber 104 for cleaning. In some embodiments, the transport robot 414 may include a robotic arm configured to transport wafer 129 without damaging it. In some embodiments, the transport robot 414 is controlled by a transfer circuit 412. In some embodiments, the process chamber housing 102 and the additional process chamber housing 404 are configured to open and close for transfer within wafer 129. It should be understood that other chambers and / or features of the machine housing 402 are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0078] Figure 5-11 Cross-sectional views 500-1100 illustrate some embodiments of a method for cleaning wafers using a cleaning apparatus including a bell jar structure, an oxygen source, an inert gas source, and / or a heating element to remove metal oxide residues and prevent their redeposition. Although Figure 5-11 The description concerns the method, but it should be understood that... Figure 5-11 The structure disclosed in the document is not limited to this method, but can exist independently of the method as a structure.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown in the cross-sectional view 500, in some embodiments, a wafer 129 is provided. In some embodiments, the wafer 129 may include any type of semiconductor body (e.g., silicon / CMOS body, SiGe, SOI, etc.), such as a semiconductor wafer or more grains on a wafer, and any other type of semiconductor and / or epitaxial layers formed thereon and / or otherwise associated therewith. For example, in Figure 5 In this embodiment, wafer 129 includes at least a dielectric layer 132 disposed on substrate 130. In some embodiments, substrate 130 includes a semiconductor material, such as silicon, germanium, etc. In some other embodiments, substrate 130 may include other materials, such as glass. In some embodiments, dielectric layer 132 is formed on substrate 130 by a deposition process (e.g., physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, etc.). In some embodiments, dielectric layer 132 may include, for example, nitrides (e.g., silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride), carbides (e.g., silicon carbide), oxides (e.g., silicon oxide), borosilicate glass (BSG), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), borosilicate-phosphosilicate glass (BPSG), low dielectric constant k oxides (e.g., carbon-doped oxides, SiCOH), etc.

[0080] In some embodiments, wafer 129 further includes conductive structures 134 formed between dielectric layers 132. In some embodiments, the conductive structures 134 are formed by various steps, including deposition processes (e.g., PVD, CVD, ALD, sputtering, etc.), removal processes (e.g., wet etching, dry etching, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), etc.), and / or patterning processes (e.g., photolithography / etching). In some embodiments, the conductive structures 134 include conductive materials such as copper, aluminum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, or some other suitable conductive materials. In some embodiments, the conductive structures 134 are or include electrodes, wires, vias, or some other conductive structures in a semiconductor component.

[0081] like Figure 6 As shown in the cross-sectional view 600, in some embodiments, a mask structure 136 is formed over a dielectric layer 132. In some embodiments, the mask structure 136 is formed by various steps of a photolithography and removal (e.g., etching) process. In some embodiments, for example, the mask structure 136 includes a photolithographic material or a hard mask material. In some embodiments, the mask structure 136 is patterned to have an opening 602. In some embodiments, a removal process is then performed on the mask structure 136 to remove a portion of the dielectric layer 132 disposed beneath the opening 602 of the mask structure 136. In some embodiments, the removal process includes a wet or dry etching process. In some embodiments, after the removal process, the top surface 134t of one or more of the conductive structures 134 is exposed to the environment. In some embodiments, because the conductive structures 134 include a metal or some other easily oxidizable material, a metal oxide residue 604 (or some other oxide residue) may be formed on the top surface 134t of the conductive structures 134.

[0082] like Figure 7As shown in the cross-sectional view 700, in some embodiments, wafer 129 is transported 701 onto wafer chuck 108 in process chamber 104, configured to remove metal oxide residue 604 from wafer 129. In some embodiments, wafer 129 is transported between removal chambers and using a transport robot, for example... Figure 4 The transport robot 414 enters the process chamber 104. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the wafer 129 is aligned above the wafer chuck 108 using various alignment techniques such as wafer notch alignment, optical alignment, or some other suitable alignment technique.

[0083] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber housing 102 defining a process chamber 104. In some embodiments, the process chamber 104 includes a wafer chuck 108 disposed on a base 106 and coupled to a chuck circuit 126. In some embodiments, a vacuum pump 120 is coupled to the process chamber 104 via an output conduit 118. In some embodiments, an oxygen source 112, a first inert gas source 114, and a second inert gas source 116 are coupled to the process chamber 104 via an input conduit 110. In some embodiments, a plasma coil 122 is disposed near the upper portion of the process chamber 104 and coupled to an RF power circuit 124. In some embodiments, a bell jar structure 128 is disposed between the plasma coil 122 and the wafer chuck 108, wherein the opening 128a of the bell jar structure 128 faces the wafer chuck 108.

[0084] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a first heating element 302 is disposed on the bell-shaped structure 128. In some embodiments, a second heating element 304 is disposed on and around the bell-shaped structure 128. In other embodiments, the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are omitted.

[0085] Figure 8A , 8B Figures 800A, 800B, and 800C respectively show cross-sectional views of a cleaning process, including plasma gas bombardment directed at wafer 129 to remove metal oxide residue 604 from wafer 129. In some embodiments, Figure 8A The first step in demonstrating the cleaning process; Figure 8B The second time step of the cleaning process is shown after the first time step; Figure 8C The third time in the cleaning process is shown after the first and second times. It should be understood that... Figure 8A , 8B Figure 8C shows a single cleaning process, but at different times during the cleaning process to understand how to remove metal oxide residue 604 from wafer 129.

[0086] like Figure 8AAs shown in cross-sectional view 800A, in some embodiments, vacuum pump 120 is activated to create vacuum conditions in process chamber 104. Furthermore, in some embodiments, oxygen source 112, first inert gas source 114, and second inert gas source 116 are activated to introduce oxygen, a first rare gas, and a second rare gas into process chamber 104 via input conduit 110, as indicated by arrow 802. In some embodiments, radio frequency power circuit 124 is activated to apply an RF frequency to plasma coil 122. Plasma coil 122 then generates an electric field and / or magnetic field, as indicated by line 804. In some embodiments, the electric field and / or magnetic field from plasma coil 122 (e.g., line 804) transfers energy from the first and second inert gas sources 114, 116 to the first and / or second inert gas to form plasma gas in process chamber 104. In some embodiments, the chuck circuit 126 is activated to apply a bias voltage to the wafer chuck 108, causing plasma gas to be attracted to the biased wafer chuck 108, and the wafer 129 is bombarded with the plasma gas to remove metal oxide residue 604. Figure 8A In the diagram, the plasma gas and its attraction to the wafer 129 are illustrated by arrow 806 in the process cavity 104. In some embodiments, the vacuum pump 120, the radio frequency power circuit 124, the gas source (e.g., oxygen source 112, first inert gas source 114, second inert gas source 116), the chuck circuit 126, and the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are turned on simultaneously or approximately simultaneously to initiate the cleaning process.

[0087] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are activated during the cleaning process. Figure 8A In the diagram, arrow 808 indicates that the first heating element 302 is turned on and dissipates heat, and arrow 810 indicates that the second heating element 304 is turned on and dissipates heat. In some other embodiments, the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are omitted from the process chamber 104; therefore, the cleaning process does not include turning on the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304. In other embodiments, the process chamber 104 may include either the first or the second heating element 302, or it may include more than one first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304.

[0088] Figure 8B Shown in Figure 8A Then, a cleaning process is initiated by bombarding the metal oxide residue 60 on wafer 129 with plasma gas (e.g., 8064). Figure 8BAs shown in cross-sectional view 800B, when plasma gas (e.g., 806) bombards the metal oxide residue 604, some of the metal oxide residue 604 is deposited on the bell jar structure 128. This is because, in some embodiments, the plasma gas (e.g., 806) chemically reduces the metal oxide residue 604 to metal and oxygen, thereby removing the metal oxide residue 604 from the wafer 129. In some cases, the metal and oxygen exit the process chamber 104 through the output conduit 118. However, in other cases, the metal may be re-oxidized within the process chamber 104.

[0089] To prevent metal re-oxidation onto wafer 129, oxygen from oxygen source 112, along with the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304, promotes metal re-oxidation onto bell jar structure 128 instead of wafer 129. For example, oxygen source 112 provides excess oxygen in process cavity 104, causing metal to re-oxidize onto bell jar structure 128 instead of simply depositing as metal on bell jar structure 128. Furthermore, the first heating element 302 and the second heating element 304 are configured to direct heat to bell jar structure 128 to increase the temperature of bell jar structure 128 and / or process cavity 104 in the vicinity of bell jar structure 128, accelerating the metal oxide reaction in the vicinity of bell jar structure 128. Therefore, after a certain cleaning process period, metal oxide residue 604 begins to form on bell jar structure 128, improving the cleaning process for removing metal oxide residue 604 from wafer 129.

[0090] In some embodiments, the second inert gas source 116 includes an inert gas different from the first inert gas source 114 to increase the efficiency of plasma gas (e.g., 806) bombarding the wafer 129. For example, in some embodiments, the first inert gas source 114 includes argon, krypton, or some other suitable inert gas, and the second inert gas source 116 includes an inert gas different from the first inert gas source 114, such as argon, krypton, or some other suitable inert gas.

[0091] like Figure 8C As shown in the cross-sectional view 800C, the cleaning process may continue for a period of time until the metal oxide residue 604 on the top surface 134t of the conductive structure 134 and other features of the wafer 129 is removed. In some embodiments, the metal oxide residue 604 is formed on the inner sidewall of the bell jar structure 128 and / or the outer sidewall of the bell jar structure 128.

[0092] like Figure 9As shown in the cross-sectional view 900, the cleaning process is terminated by shutting down the RF power circuit 124, the chuck circuit 126, the first heating element 302, the second heating element 304, and the gas sources (e.g., oxygen source 112, first inert gas source 114, second inert gas source 116). In some embodiments, after the cleaning process, the wafer 129 is substantially free of metal oxide residue 604. In some embodiments, during the cleaning process (e.g., Figure 7 Prior to this, a first amount (e.g., weight, volume, etc.) of metal oxide residue 604 was present on the bell jar structure 128, while during the cleaning process (e.g., Figure 9 After that, a second amount of second metal oxide residue 604 (e.g., weight, volume, etc.) is present on the bell jar structure 128, wherein the second amount of metal oxide residue 604 is greater than the first amount of metal oxide residue 604.

[0093] In some embodiments, after the cleaning process, the process chamber housing 102 is opened, and wafer 129 is removed from wafer chuck 108 and process chamber 104. In some embodiments, a transport robot is used to remove wafer 129, for example... Figure 4 Transport robot 414.

[0094] like Figure 10 As shown in the cross-sectional view 1000, in some embodiments, the top surface 134t of the conductive structure 134 has no metal oxide residue. Figure 8C (604). Furthermore, in some embodiments, other surfaces of wafer 129, such as dielectric layer 132 and mask structure 136, are also free of metal oxide residues. Figure 8C (604).

[0095] like Figure 11 As shown in the cross-sectional view 1100, in some embodiments, an additional conductive structure 1102 is formed within an opening in the dielectric layer 132. In some embodiments, the additional conductive structure 1102 is formed by a conductive layer deposition process (e.g., PVD, CVD, ALD, sputtering, etc.), followed by a removal process (e.g., CMP) to remove a portion of the conductive layer disposed above the dielectric layer 132. In some embodiments, the mask structure 136 is also removed during the formation of the additional conductive structure 1102. In some embodiments, the additional conductive structure 1102 comprises, for example, copper, aluminum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, or some other suitable conductive material. In some embodiments, because the top surface 134t of the conductive structure 134 is cleared of metal oxide residues ( Figure 8C (604), so the additional conductive structure 1102 adheres well to the conductive structure 134, and the contact resistance between the conductive structure 134 and the additional conductive structure 1102 is improved in the absence of metal oxide residues. Figure 8C (604). Therefore, Figure 8A The -C cleaning process removes metal oxide residues on wafer 129 to improve the physical and electrical properties of the entire semiconductor component.

[0096] Figure 12 Flowcharts showing some embodiments of method 1200, which correspond to Figure 5-11 The method shown in the figure.

[0097] Although method 1200 is shown and described below as a series of actions or events, it should be understood that the order in which such actions or events are shown should not be construed as limiting. For example, some actions may occur in a different order and / or simultaneously with other actions or events besides those illustrated and / or described herein. Furthermore, not all of the actions shown may be required to implement one or more aspects or embodiments described herein. Additionally, one or more of the actions described herein may be performed in one or more separate actions and / or phases.

[0098] At action 1202, a dielectric layer is formed on the conductive structure on the substrate. Figure 5 A cross-sectional view 500 is shown, corresponding to some embodiments of action 1202.

[0099] At action 1204, a removal process is performed to remove part of the dielectric layer, thereby exposing part of the conductive structure. Figure 6 A cross-sectional view 600 is shown, corresponding to some embodiments of action 1204.

[0100] At action 1206, the substrate is transported into the cleaning chamber, which includes a wafer chuck positioned below the bell jar structure. Figure 7 A cross-sectional view 700 is shown, corresponding to some embodiments of action 1206.

[0101] At action 1208, a cleaning process is performed to clean the exposed portions of the conductive structure. During the cleaning process, oxygen from an oxygen source and inert gas from an inert gas source are supplied to the cleaning chamber. Figure 8A -C shows cross-sectional views 800A-800C corresponding to some embodiments of action 1208.

[0102] At action 1210, the substrate is removed from the cleaning chamber. Figure 9 A cross-sectional view 900 is shown, corresponding to some embodiments of action 1210.

[0103] At action 1212, a conductive layer is formed above the dielectric layer, and the conductive layer is coupled to the exposed portion of the conductive structure. Figure 11 A cross-sectional view 1100 is shown, corresponding to some embodiments of action 1212.

[0104] Therefore, this disclosure relates to a cleaning apparatus and a method for using the cleaning apparatus to remove metal oxide residues on a wafer and to promote the redeposition of metal oxides onto a bell jar structure rather than the wafer by using oxygen, rare gases and / or heating elements.

[0105] Therefore, in some embodiments, this disclosure relates to a process apparatus including: a chamber housing defining a process cavity; a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate; a bell jar structure disposed on the wafer chuck, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck; a plasma coil disposed on the bell jar structure; and an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver oxygen into the process cavity.

[0106] In some embodiments, the opening of the bell jar structure has a maximum width equal to a first distance, wherein the wafer chuck has a maximum width equal to a second distance, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: a plasma coil power supply circuit coupled to the plasma coil and configured to apply a bias voltage to the plasma coil to generate plasma gas within the process cavity; and a wafer chuck circuit coupled to the wafer chuck and configured to apply a bias voltage to the wafer chuck to attract the plasma gas to the wafer chuck. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: a vacuum pump coupled to the process cavity and configured to generate vacuum conditions within the process cavity. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: a heating lamp disposed above the bell jar structure and on the inner wall of the chamber housing, wherein the heating lamp is configured to raise the temperature of the process cavity to near the bell jar structure. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: a heating jacket structure disposed on the surface of the bell jar structure and the bell jar structure, wherein the heating jacket structure is used to raise the temperature of the bell jar structure. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes an inert gas source coupled to the process chamber and configured to input inert gas into the process chamber.

[0107] In other embodiments, this disclosure relates to a process apparatus, comprising: a chamber housing defining a process cavity in a vacuum; a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to accommodate a substrate; a plasma coil disposed on the wafer chuck; an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity for supplying oxygen to the process cavity; a heating element disposed within the process cavity and configured to increase the temperature of the process cavity; and a bell jar structure disposed between the wafer chuck and the plasma coil, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck.

[0108] In some embodiments, the opening in the bell jar structure completely covers the wafer chuck. In some embodiments, the opening in the bell jar structure is spaced apart from the wafer chuck by a non-zero distance. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: an inert gas source coupled to the process chamber and configured to introduce inert gas into the process chamber simultaneously with the introduction of oxygen into the process chamber. In some embodiments, the heating member is disposed above and around the bell jar structure, and wherein the heating member has an annular structure surrounding the bell jar structure. In some embodiments, the heating member is disposed on the inner wall of the chamber housing. In some embodiments, the process equipment further includes: additional heating members disposed around the bell jar structure.

[0109] In other embodiments, this disclosure relates to a method comprising: forming a dielectric layer on a conductive structure on a substrate; performing a removal process to remove a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a portion of the conductive structure; conveying the substrate to a clean chamber including a wafer chuck disposed below a bell jar structure; performing a cleaning process to clean the exposed portion of the conductive structure by: activating an inert gas source to introduce inert gas into the clean chamber, activating an oxygen source to introduce oxygen into the clean chamber, applying a bias voltage to a plasma coil to form a plasma gas within the clean chamber, and applying a bias voltage to the wafer chuck; removing the substrate from the clean chamber; and forming a conductive layer over the dielectric layer, the conductive layer being coupled to the exposed portion of the conductive structure.

[0110] In some embodiments, prior to the cleaning process, the topmost surface of the exposed portion of the conductive structure includes a first amount of metal oxide residue, and after the cleaning process, the topmost surface of the exposed portion of the conductive structure includes a second amount of metal oxide residue, the first amount being less than the first amount. In some embodiments, prior to the cleaning process, the surface of the bell jar structure includes a first amount of metal oxide residue, and after the cleaning process, the surface of the bell jar structure includes a second amount of metal oxide residue, the second amount being greater than the first amount. In some embodiments, the cleaning chamber includes a heating element, and the cleaning process further includes: activating the heating element to increase the temperature of the cleaning chamber. In some embodiments, the cleaning chamber is under vacuum conditions. In some embodiments, after the cleaning process, metal oxide residue is deposited on the inner and outer surfaces of the bell jar structure.

[0111] The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to better understand aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that they can readily use this disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures to achieve the same purposes and / or advantages as the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art should also recognize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention, and various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A process tool for a cleaning process, characterized by comprising: a chamber housing defining a process cavity; a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to hold a substrate; a bell jar structure disposed above the wafer chuck, wherein an opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck; a plasma coil disposed above the bell jar structure; an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver oxygen into the process cavity; and a first inert gas source and a second inert gas source each coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver a first inert gas and a second inert gas into the process cavity, wherein the first inert gas is different from the second inert gas.

2. The process tool of claim 1, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure has a maximum width equal to a first distance, wherein the wafer chuck has a maximum width equal to a second distance, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

3. The process tool of claim 1, further comprising: a plasma coil power circuit coupled to the plasma coil and configured to apply a bias to the plasma coil to generate a plasma gas within the process cavity; and a wafer chuck power circuit coupled to the wafer chuck and configured to apply a bias to the wafer chuck to attract the plasma gas to the wafer chuck.

4. The process tool of claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum pump coupled to the process cavity and configured to generate a vacuum condition within the process cavity.

5. The process tool of claim 1, further comprising: a heating lamp disposed above the bell jar structure and on an inner wall of the chamber housing, wherein the heating lamp is configured to raise a temperature of the process cavity proximate to the bell jar structure.

6. The process tool of claim 1, further comprising: a heating jacket structure disposed on the bell jar structure and a surface of the bell jar structure, wherein the heating jacket structure is to increase a temperature of the bell jar structure. comprising: a chamber housing defining a process cavity in a vacuum; 7. A process tool for use in a cleaning process, the process tool comprising a wafer chuck disposed within the process cavity and configured to hold a substrate; a plasma coil disposed above the wafer chuck; an oxygen source coupled to the process cavity for inputting oxygen to the process cavity; a first inert gas source and a second inert gas source each coupled to the process cavity and configured to deliver a first inert gas and a second inert gas into the process cavity, wherein the first inert gas is different from the second inert gas; a heating member disposed within the process cavity and configured to increase a temperature of the process cavity; and a bell jar structure disposed between the wafer chuck and the plasma coil, wherein an opening of the bell jar structure faces the wafer chuck.

8. The process tool of claim 7, wherein the opening of the bell jar structure completely covers the wafer chuck.

9. The process tool of claim 7, wherein the opening in the bell jar structure is spaced apart from the wafer chuck by a non-zero distance. ​ ​ ​ 10. The process tool of claim 7, wherein the first inert gas source and the second inert gas source are configured to input the first inert gas and the second inert gas into the process chamber while inputting the oxygen into the process chamber.

11. The process tool of claim 7, wherein the heating member is disposed above and around the bell jar structure, and wherein the heating member has a ring-like structure around the bell jar structure.

12. The process tool of claim 7, wherein the heating member is disposed above and around the bell jar structure, and wherein the heating member is disposed on an inner wall of the chamber housing.

13. The process machine of claim 12, further comprising: additional heating member disposed around the bell jar structure.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly, characterized by comprising: forming a dielectric layer on a conductive structure on a substrate; performing a removal process to remove a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a portion of the conductive structure; transporting the substrate to a cleaning chamber, the cleaning chamber comprising a wafer chuck disposed below a bell jar structure; directly performing a cleaning process to clean the exposed portion of the conductive structure after being transported to the cleaning chamber: turning on a first inert gas source and a second inert gas source to introduce a first inert gas and a second inert gas in the cleaning chamber, wherein the first inert gas is different from the second inert gas, turning on an oxygen source to introduce oxygen in the cleaning chamber, applying a bias to a plasma coil to form a plasma gas in the cleaning chamber, and applying a bias to the wafer chuck such that the plasma gas is attracted to the biased wafer chuck to bombard the exposed portion of the conductive structure with the plasma gas; removing the substrate from the cleaning chamber; and forming a conductive layer on the dielectric layer, the conductive layer coupled to the exposed portion of the conductive structure.

15. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly of claim 14, wherein a topmost surface of the exposed portion of the conductive structure comprises a first amount of metal oxide residue before the cleaning process is performed, and wherein the topmost surface of the exposed portion of the conductive structure comprises a second amount of metal oxide residue after the cleaning process, the second amount being less than the first amount.

16. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly of claim 14, wherein a surface of the bell jar structure comprises a first amount of metal oxide residue before the cleaning process is performed, and wherein the surface of the bell jar structure comprises a second amount of metal oxide residue after the cleaning process, the second amount being greater than the first amount.

17. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly of claim 14, wherein the cleaning chamber comprises a heating member, wherein the cleaning process further comprises: turning on the heating member to increase a temperature of the cleaning chamber.

18. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly of claim 14, wherein the cleaning chamber is under vacuum conditions.

19. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor assembly of claim 14, wherein metal oxide residue is disposed on an inner and outer surface of the bell jar structure after the cleaning process. ​

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