Cleaning equipment, cleaning method, semiconductor structure and preparation equipment thereof

Abstract

The invention provides cleaning equipment, a cleaning method, a semiconductor structure and preparation equipment thereof, belongs to the field of semiconductors, and is used for increasing the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure and improving the cleaning effect on the semiconductor structure. The cleaning equipment comprises a cleaning device, a first channel and a second channel, the cleaning device communicates with the first channel and the second channel, the first channel is configured to supply an ozonized deionized water solution to the cleaning device, and the second channel is configured to supply cleaning liquid medicine to the cleaning device; the cleaning device is configured to perform pretreatment on the surface of the etched semiconductor structure through the ozonized deionized water solution supplied by the first channel; and the cleaning device is further configured to perform first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure through the cleaning liquid supplied by the second channel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of semiconductor, and in particular, to a cleaning device, a cleaning method, a semiconductor structure and a preparation device thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the preparation process of a semiconductor structure, etching treatment of the semiconductor structure is one of important steps. After etching treatment of the surface of the semiconductor structure, residues are usually left on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and cleaning chemicals need to be used to clean the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0003] However, there may be hydrophobic organic matters in the residues, which can result in poor hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure, poor wetting performance of the cleaning chemicals on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and poor cleaning effect of the cleaning chemicals on the residues, thereby possibly reducing the yield of the semiconductor structure. SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a cleaning device, a cleaning method, a semiconductor structure and a preparation device thereof, for increasing the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure and improving the cleaning effect on the semiconductor structure.

[0005] In a first aspect, a cleaning device is provided. The cleaning device comprises: a cleaning device, a first channel and a second channel, the cleaning device is in communication with the first channel and the second channel respectively, wherein the first channel is configured to supply ozone-containing deionized water solution to the cleaning device, and the second channel is configured to supply cleaning chemicals to the cleaning device; the cleaning device is configured to pretreat the surface of the semiconductor structure after etching treatment by the ozone-containing deionized water solution supplied through the first channel; and the cleaning device is further configured to perform first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure by the cleaning chemicals supplied through the second channel.

[0006] In the above cleaning device, the ozone-containing deionized water solution is supplied to the cleaning device through the first channel, and the ozone in the ozone-containing deionized water solution can oxidize the hydrophobic organic matters on the surface of the semiconductor structure after etching treatment, remove the hydrophobic organic matters on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and improve the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure. In addition, the ozone in the ozone-containing deionized water solution can also oxidize the material on the surface of the semiconductor structure after etching treatment, to further improve the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure. Through the pretreatment process, the surface of the semiconductor structure has high hydrophilicity, and then the cleaning chemicals supplied through the second channel are used to perform first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure, and the wettability of the cleaning chemicals on the surface of the semiconductor structure is high. In this way, through the first cleaning, the residues on the surface of the semiconductor structure can be removed, the surface state of the semiconductor structure is improved, and the yield of the semiconductor structure is improved.

[0007] In a possible implementation, the cleaning device is further configured to, after the first cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure, reprocess the surface of the semiconductor structure by the ozone-deionized water solution supplied through the first channel. In some examples, the cleaning device is further configured to, after the reprocessing of the surface of the semiconductor structure, perform the first cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure again by the cleaning chemical solution supplied through the second channel, so as to further remove residues on the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0008] In the process of the first cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure by the cleaning chemical solution, the cleaning chemical solution can react with the surface of the semiconductor structure to generate new hydrophobic substances, thereby reducing the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure. The reprocessing of the surface of the semiconductor structure by the ozone-deionized water solution supplied through the first channel can oxidize the new hydrophobic substances generated in the first cleaning process by the ozone in the ozone-deionized water solution, thereby improving the hydrophilicity of the surface of the semiconductor structure and facilitating the removal of the cleaning chemical solution from the surface of the semiconductor structure in subsequent steps.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the cleaning apparatus further includes at least one ozone-deionized water solution generating device, the at least one ozone-deionized water solution generating device being in communication with the first channel, and the ozone-deionized water solution generating device being configured to generate the ozone-deionized water solution. In other words, the present solution is to integrate the ozone-deionized water solution generating device into the cleaning apparatus.

[0010] Then, the ozone-deionized water solution generating device can generate the ozone-deionized water solution, and the ozone-deionized water solution generated by the ozone-deionized water solution generating device can be supplied to the cleaning device through the first channel. By integrating the ozone-deionized water solution generating device into the cleaning apparatus, the time for pre-processing or reprocessing the surface of the semiconductor structure can be greatly reduced, and the efficiency of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor structure can be improved.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the cleaning apparatus further includes at least one chemical solution storage device for storing the cleaning chemical solution, and the at least one chemical solution storage device being in communication with the second channel. In other words, the present solution is to integrate the chemical solution storage device into the cleaning apparatus.

[0012] Then, the chemical solution storage device can store the cleaning chemical solution, and the cleaning chemical solution in the chemical solution storage device can be supplied to the cleaning device through the second channel. By integrating the chemical solution storage device into the cleaning apparatus, the time for the first cleaning can be greatly reduced, the efficiency of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor structure can be improved, and the probability that the cleaning chemical solution deteriorates due to long-term exposure to air and affects the cleaning effect of the first cleaning can be reduced.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the cleaning apparatus further includes a third channel connected to the cleaning device, configured to supply a deionized aqueous solution to the cleaning device; the cleaning device is further configured to perform a second cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure via the deionized aqueous solution supplied through the third channel after performing a first cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface. In some examples, the deionized aqueous solution may include at least one of deionized water, ozonated deionized aqueous solution, and carbon dioxide-deionized aqueous solution.

[0014] The pretreatment process can make the surface of the semiconductor structure highly hydrophilic. Due to the high hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, the deionized water solution has better wettability on the surface of the semiconductor structure, which is beneficial for the deionized water solution to remove the cleaning solution remaining on the surface of the semiconductor structure in the first cleaning process.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the cleaning apparatus further includes a fourth channel connected to the cleaning device, configured to supply drying gas to the cleaning device. The cleaning device is further configured to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure after a second cleaning using the drying gas supplied via the fourth channel. For example, the drying gas could be nitrogen. Therefore, drying the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning with the drying gas supplied via the fourth channel can quickly remove any residual deionized water solution from the second cleaning process.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the cleaning equipment also includes a control device connected to the cleaning equipment; the control device is configured to control the operation of the cleaning equipment. Therefore, controlling the cleaning equipment through the control device can improve the safety and increase its efficiency. In some examples, the control device can also be connected to the ozonation deionization aqueous solution generator and the chemical solution storage device to control their operation.

[0017] Secondly, a cleaning method is provided. The cleaning method includes: pretreating the surface of an etched semiconductor structure using an ozonated deionized aqueous solution; and performing a first cleaning of the pretreated semiconductor structure surface using a cleaning solution.

[0018] Therefore, pretreatment of the etched semiconductor structure surface using an ozonated deionized aqueous solution is employed. The ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution oxidizes and removes hydrophobic organic matter from the semiconductor structure surface, thereby improving its hydrophilicity. Furthermore, the ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution can also oxidize the surface material of the etched semiconductor structure, further enhancing its hydrophilicity. After this pretreatment, the surface hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure is significantly increased, resulting in higher wettability of the cleaning solution. Thus, the first cleaning process effectively removes residues from the semiconductor structure surface, improving its surface condition and increasing the yield of the fabricated semiconductor structure.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the cleaning method further includes re-treating the surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution. In some examples, the surface of the re-treated semiconductor structure is subjected to a first cleaning again with a cleaning solution to further remove residues from the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0020] Therefore, by ozonating the deionized aqueous solution to re-treat the surface of the semiconductor structure, the new hydrophobic substances generated in the first cleaning process can be oxidized, thereby increasing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface and improving the removal effect of the cleaning solution on the semiconductor structure surface in subsequent steps.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the cleaning method further includes: performing a second cleaning on the surface of the retreated semiconductor structure using deionized water. This pretreatment process can give the semiconductor structure surface high hydrophilicity. Due to the high hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, the deionized aqueous solution exhibits superior wettability on the semiconductor structure surface, which is beneficial for removing the cleaning solution remaining on the semiconductor structure surface from the first cleaning process.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the cleaning method further includes drying the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning with a drying gas. Drying the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning with a drying gas can quickly remove the deionized aqueous solution remaining from the second cleaning process.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the semiconductor structure is made of at least one of aluminum, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and polyimide. This solution provides some common implementation methods.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the surface of the etched semiconductor structure retains a hydrophobic organic substance, including organic substances containing halogen groups. For example, the halogen-containing organic substance includes at least one of chlorinated organic substances and fluorinated organic substances.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the concentration of ozone in the ozonation deionized aqueous solution is between 5 ppm and 100 ppm. Within this range, the rate of oxidation reaction between ozone in the ozonation deionized aqueous solution and the hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure is moderate, the rate of oxidation reaction between ozone in the ozonation deionized aqueous solution and the material on the surface of the semiconductor structure is moderate, and the surface of the semiconductor structure has high hydrophilicity.

[0026] Thirdly, a semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a plurality of material layers stacked on the substrate, wherein the surface of at least one etched material layer has a hydrophilicity greater than a threshold. This results in high hydrophilicity of the material layers in the semiconductor structure, which facilitates better cleaning of the semiconductor structure.

[0027] Fourthly, an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor structure is provided. This apparatus includes: an etching apparatus, and a cleaning apparatus according to any possible implementation of the first aspect; the etching apparatus and the cleaning apparatus are connected; the etching apparatus is configured to etch the surface of the semiconductor structure. The technical effects of the fourth aspect are illustrated in the technical effects of the different design methods described in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 Some schematic diagrams of the apparatus for fabricating semiconductor structures provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 Some flowcharts for fabricating semiconductor structures provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 Some schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 Other schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 5Further schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 6 Further schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 7 Further schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 8 Further schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 9 Further schematic diagrams of the cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 10 Some schematic diagrams of the cleaning method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 11 Here are some other schematic diagrams of the cleaning method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 12 Further schematic flowcharts of the cleaning method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the process flow for fabricating a semiconductor structure provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0043] In the following text, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only for descriptive purposes to distinguish identical or similar items that have essentially the same function and effect, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0044] This application provides an electronic device, which may include communication devices (e.g., base stations, mobile phones, tablets), automobiles, wireless charging devices, medical devices, radar, navigation devices, etc. This application does not impose any special limitations on the specific form of the aforementioned electronic device.

[0045] The aforementioned electronic devices all fundamentally incorporate semiconductor structures. Semiconductor structures can be used in electronic devices to amplify, switch, and regulate electrical signals, enabling power conversion and circuit control within the electronic device. They can also be used in storage devices to store, process, and transmit information; common semiconductor storage devices include Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and flash memory. Furthermore, semiconductor structures can be used in sensors within electronic devices. Semiconductor sensors convert information from the external environment into electrical signals for various measurement and control applications within the electronic device; examples include physical, chemical, and biological sensors. Of course, semiconductor structures can be used for other purposes, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this application.

[0046] Embodiments of this application disclose an apparatus for fabricating semiconductor structures, see below. Figure 1 The equipment for fabricating semiconductor structures includes etching equipment and cleaning equipment, which are connected together.

[0047] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 Etching equipment is used to etch the surface of semiconductor structures. Etching is a crucial step in the fabrication of semiconductor structures. By using etching equipment to selectively remove unwanted materials from the surface of the semiconductor structure using chemical or physical methods, the desired patterns and structures can be obtained on the semiconductor structure.

[0048] Cleaning equipment is used to clean the surface of semiconductor structures after etching, a process known as post-etch clean. (See reference) Figure 2 After etching a semiconductor structure, residues may remain on its surface. If these residues are not removed promptly, they can affect subsequent processes, leading to a decrease in the yield of the semiconductor structure. Cleaning solutions are typically used to clean the surface of the semiconductor structure (for example, cleaning solutions may include semi-aqueous organic solutions and aqueous solutions; in this field, semi-aqueous organic solutions generally have a low water content, e.g., 40%, while aqueous solutions generally have a high water content, e.g., 80%) to remove residues generated during etching, improve the surface condition of the semiconductor structure, and thus increase the yield of the semiconductor structure. After cleaning the surface of the semiconductor structure with the cleaning solution, refer to... Figure 2Typically, deionized aqueous solutions are needed to clean the surface of semiconductor structures to mitigate the impact of the cleaning solution on the fabrication of the semiconductor structure.

[0049] When etching the surface of a semiconductor structure, various types of residues may remain on the surface after etching, depending on the diversity of the semiconductor material and the etching scenario (for example, deep-hole silicon etching; for another example, silicon etching in a through-silicon via (TSV) process; for yet another example, damascus dielectric etching; and for yet another example, aluminum etching). Although the types of residues may differ, they typically contain hydrophobic organic compounds. The presence of these hydrophobic organic compounds leads to a larger water droplet angle on the semiconductor surface, resulting in poor hydrophilicity. First, since cleaning solutions typically contain water as a solvent, their wetting properties on the semiconductor structure surface are poor. This results in a less effective cleaning of residues, potentially reducing the yield of the semiconductor structure. Second, after cleaning the semiconductor structure surface with the cleaning solution, an aqueous solution (e.g., deionized water) is usually needed to rinse the surface of the semiconductor structure. However, the semiconductor structure surface has poor hydrophilicity, leading to poor wetting properties of the aqueous solution. This also results in a less effective cleaning of the cleaning solution, potentially reducing the yield of the semiconductor structure.

[0050] In conventional methods, the surface of etched semiconductor structures undergoes oxygen plasma (O2 plasma) pretreatment to improve its hydrophilicity. However, plasma treatment equipment is typically dry, while surface cleaning equipment is usually wet. Integrating both dry and wet equipment is challenging, and the time required between the oxygen plasma pretreatment and cleaning steps (Q-time) is considerable. Furthermore, oxygen plasma pretreatment may have an etching effect on some organic materials, limiting its applicability.

[0051] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a cleaning device aimed at solving at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0052] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3The cleaning equipment includes a cleaning device, a first channel, and a second channel. The cleaning device is connected to both the first and second channels. The first channel supplies an ozonated deionized aqueous solution to the cleaning device, and the second channel supplies a cleaning solution to the cleaning device. The cleaning device is configured to pre-treat the surface of the etched semiconductor structure using the ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied through the first channel. The cleaning device is also configured to perform a first cleaning on the surface of the pre-treated semiconductor structure using the cleaning solution supplied through the second channel.

[0053] The ozonated deionized aqueous solution is supplied to the cleaning device through the first channel. The ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution can oxidize the hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure to remove it (e.g., if the hydrophobic organic matter is fluorinated organic matter, ozone can oxidize it to remove it from the semiconductor structure surface). This reduces the water droplet angle of the semiconductor structure surface and increases its hydrophilicity. Furthermore, the ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution can also oxidize the semiconductor structure surface to further enhance its hydrophilicity (e.g., if the semiconductor structure is made of silicon, ozone can oxidize silicon to silicon oxide, which has hydroxyl groups (-OH) that readily attract water molecules). This further reduces the water droplet angle of the semiconductor structure surface and increases its hydrophilicity. The cleaning solution is supplied to the cleaning device through the second channel. The cleaning solution can perform the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure. The pretreatment process can make the surface of the semiconductor structure highly hydrophilic, and the cleaning solution has high wettability on the surface of the semiconductor structure. Thus, the cleaning solution has a better cleaning effect on the surface of the semiconductor structure. The first cleaning can quickly remove the residues on the surface of the semiconductor structure, improve the surface condition of the semiconductor structure, and increase the yield of the semiconductor structure.

[0054] In some embodiments, the semiconductor structure can be made of inorganic materials, which may include metallic and non-metallic materials. In one possible embodiment, the metallic material may be aluminum (Al). In another possible embodiment, the non-metallic material may be silicon or silicon nitride (SiN). x ), silicon oxide (SiO) x One or more of the following. In other embodiments, the organic material may be polyimide (PI). Of course, the materials for the semiconductor structure may also include other materials, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0055] In some embodiments, the hydrophobic organic material on the surface of the semiconductor structure can be an organic material containing halogen groups. In one possible embodiment, the hydrophobic organic material can be a fluorinated organic material. In another possible embodiment, the hydrophobic organic material can be a chlorinated organic material. Of course, the hydrophobic organic material can also include organic materials with other hydrophobic groups, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0056] Since the main function of the cleaning solution is to remove residues from the surface of the semiconductor structure and improve its surface condition, the cleaning solution can be selected based on the type of semiconductor material and the cleaning purpose (e.g., it can be selected based on the type of residues on the semiconductor structure's surface). For example, if the semiconductor structure is made of silicon and the hydrophobic organic matter on its surface includes fluorinated organic matter, the cleaning solution may include one or more of cleaning solutions (ST250), (ICS8000 / ICS8010), and (9058). As another example, if the semiconductor structure is made of aluminum and the hydrophobic organic matter on its surface is a chlorine-containing compound, the cleaning solution may include cleaning solutions (NE111) and (ICS1111). Of course, following the principles of this application, other cleaning solutions may also be included, and this application does not limit the scope of the embodiments.

[0057] In some embodiments, refer again Figure 3 The cleaning device in the cleaning equipment is also configured to perform a first cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and then re-process the surface of the semiconductor structure through an ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied through a first channel.

[0058] After the cleaning solution performs the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure, the cleaning solution may react with the surface of the semiconductor structure to generate new hydrophobic substances, increasing the water droplet angle of the semiconductor structure surface and reducing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. This is not conducive to the subsequent removal of the cleaning solution from the semiconductor structure surface. (For example, if the semiconductor material is silicon and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is used to etch the silicon, in the cleaning device, the surface of the etched silicon semiconductor structure is pretreated with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied in the first channel. The surface of the pretreated silicon semiconductor structure has high hydrophilicity. However, if the cleaning solution supplied in the second channel is used to perform the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated silicon semiconductor structure, during the first cleaning process, the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure may react to generate new hydrophobic substances, which will increase the water droplet angle of the semiconductor structure surface and reduce the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, which is not conducive to the subsequent removal of the cleaning solution from the semiconductor structure surface.) In the cleaning device of the cleaning equipment, the surface of the semiconductor structure is re-treated by the ozonation deionized aqueous solution supplied through the first channel. In this way, the ozone in the ozonation deionized aqueous solution can oxidize the new hydrophobic substances generated in the first cleaning process, improve the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, and facilitate the removal effect of the cleaning solution on the surface of the semiconductor structure in subsequent steps.

[0059] In some embodiments, after the surface of the semiconductor structure has been reprocessed, the reprocessed semiconductor structure can be subjected to a first cleaning again using a cleaning solution supplied through the second channel. This can further reduce the residue on the surface of the semiconductor structure and improve the yield of the semiconductor structure. In some possible embodiments, the surface of the semiconductor structure can be alternately and cyclically subjected to the first cleaning and reprocessing. This can further improve the cleaning effect on the surface of the semiconductor structure and improve the yield of the semiconductor structure. For example, the surface of the semiconductor structure can be alternately and cyclically subjected to the first cleaning and reprocessing. The number of first cleanings and reprocessings can be 10 times, and the number of reprocessings can also be 10 times. The number of first cleanings and reprocessings can be selected according to the actual situation. The embodiments of this application are only illustrative examples and do not constitute a limitation on the number of first cleanings and reprocessings.

[0060] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 The cleaning equipment also includes: at least one ozonation deionized water solution generating device, any ozonation deionized water solution generating device being connected to the first channel; the ozonation deionized water solution generating device is configured to generate ozonation deionized water solution.

[0061] The ozonation deionization aqueous solution generation device generates an ozonation deionization aqueous solution. This device is connected to a first channel, and the generated ozonation deionization aqueous solution is supplied to the cleaning device via the first channel. The ozonation deionization aqueous solution generated can be used for both pretreatment of the etched semiconductor structure surface and retreatment of the semiconductor structure surface after the first cleaning. Integrating the ozonation deionization aqueous solution generation device into the cleaning equipment significantly reduces the time required for pretreatment or retreatment of the semiconductor structure surface, thereby improving the efficiency of semiconductor structure cleaning.

[0062] In some embodiments, the ozonation deionized water solution generating apparatus can generate ozone, and the generated ozone can be dissolved in deionized water using any suitable technique to obtain an ozonation deionized water solution. In some possible embodiments, the ozonation deionized water solution generating apparatus may include an ozone gas generator that generates ozone gas, which can be dissolved in deionized water through a dissolution process. For example, the dissolution process may involve storing ozone in a fiber membrane, immersing the ozone-containing fiber membrane in deionized water, and allowing the ozone inside the fiber membrane to diffuse to the outside of the fiber membrane, thus obtaining an ozonation deionized water solution.

[0063] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5 The cleaning equipment also includes: at least one cleaning solution storage device, wherein any cleaning solution storage device is connected to a second channel, and the cleaning solution in the storage device can be introduced into the cleaning device through the second channel to achieve the first cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface. In this way, integrating the cleaning solution storage device into the cleaning equipment can significantly reduce the first cleaning time and improve the efficiency of cleaning the semiconductor structure, while also reducing the probability of the cleaning solution deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to air, thus affecting the cleaning effect of the first cleaning.

[0064] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 The cleaning equipment also includes a third channel connected to the cleaning apparatus, configured to supply a deionized aqueous solution to the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus is further configured to perform a second cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface using the deionized aqueous solution supplied through the third channel after a first cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface. In some possible embodiments, the deionized aqueous solution may include at least one of deionized water, ozonated deionized aqueous solution, and carbon dioxide-deionized aqueous solution. The cleaning equipment may also include a carbon dioxide generator capable of generating carbon dioxide to obtain a carbon dioxide-deionized aqueous solution.

[0065] In conventional cleaning methods, the surface of the etched semiconductor structure is directly cleaned with a cleaning solution, and then an aqueous solution (such as a deionized aqueous solution) is used to clean the cleaning solution on the surface of the semiconductor structure. However, the presence of hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure results in poor hydrophilicity, which leads to poor wetting performance of the deionized aqueous solution on the surface of the semiconductor structure. This results in poor cleaning effect of the deionized aqueous solution on the cleaning solution, which is not conducive to removing the cleaning solution from the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0066] In the embodiments of this application, the surface of the etched semiconductor structure is first pretreated. The pretreatment process significantly improves the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. Then, a cleaning solution is used to perform a first cleaning on the pretreated semiconductor structure surface. As a result, due to the high hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, the deionized water solution has better wetting properties on the semiconductor structure surface, which is beneficial for the deionized water solution to remove the cleaning solution from the semiconductor structure surface.

[0067] In some other possible embodiments, refer again Figure 6 The cleaning equipment also includes a third channel connected to the cleaning apparatus. The third channel is configured to supply a deionized aqueous solution to the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus is further configured to perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure after re-treatment and the first treatment, using the deionized aqueous solution supplied through the third channel. In other words, the surface of the etched semiconductor structure can be pre-treated with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution, then the pre-treated semiconductor structure surface can be first-cleaned with a cleaning solution, then the surface of the first-cleaned semiconductor structure can be re-treated with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution, then the re-treated semiconductor structure surface can be first-cleaned again with a cleaning solution, and finally the surface of the semiconductor structure can be second-cleaned with the deionized aqueous solution supplied through the third channel. The embodiments of this application do not limit the number of re-treatments or the number of first cleanings, as long as the number of re-treatments is greater than or equal to one, and the corresponding number of first cleanings is greater than or equal to two.

[0068] After the cleaning solution performs the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure, the cleaning solution may react with the semiconductor surface to generate new hydrophobic substances, increasing the water droplet angle and reducing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor surface (this situation has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here). If a deionized water solution is used directly to remove the cleaning solution from the semiconductor surface at this time, the poor hydrophilicity of the semiconductor surface will result in poor wetting performance of the deionized water solution on the semiconductor surface, leading to a poor cleaning effect of the deionized water solution and hindering the removal of the cleaning solution from the semiconductor surface.

[0069] In the embodiments of this application, the surface of the etched semiconductor structure is first pretreated, which significantly increases the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. Then, a cleaning solution is used to perform a first cleaning on the pretreated semiconductor structure surface. This cleaning solution may react with the semiconductor structure surface to generate new hydrophobic substances, reducing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. Next, an ozonated deionized aqueous solution is used to re-treat the semiconductor structure surface after the first cleaning, which significantly increases the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. Then, a cleaning solution is used again to perform a first cleaning on the pretreated semiconductor structure surface. Finally, a deionized aqueous solution supplied through the third channel is used to perform a second cleaning on the semiconductor structure surface. In this way, due to the high hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface, the deionized aqueous solution has superior wetting properties on the semiconductor structure surface, which is beneficial for removing the cleaning solution from the semiconductor structure surface.

[0070] In some embodiments, reference Figure 7 The cleaning equipment also includes a fourth channel connected to the cleaning apparatus, which supplies drying gas to the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus is further configured to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure after a second cleaning using the drying gas supplied through the fourth channel. This drying process, using the drying gas supplied through the fourth channel to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning, can quickly remove residual deionized water from the second cleaning process. In some possible implementations, the drying gas can be nitrogen. For example, room temperature nitrogen or heated nitrogen can be used to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0071] In some embodiments, reference Figure 8The cleaning equipment also includes a fifth channel, which is connected to the cleaning unit and used to supply isopropanol (IPA) to the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit is further configured to perform a third cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface using isopropanol supplied through the fifth channel, after a second cleaning and before drying. This allows isopropanol to remove the less volatile deionized aqueous solution. Isopropanol's low surface tension and high volatility, replacing the high-surface-tension deionized aqueous solution on the semiconductor structure surface, facilitates subsequent drying with a drying gas and reduces the drying time for the semiconductor structure surface.

[0072] In some embodiments, reference Figure 9 The cleaning equipment also includes a control device connected to the cleaning device; the control device is configured to control the operation of the cleaning device. Therefore, controlling the cleaning device through the control device can improve the safety and increase the efficiency of the cleaning equipment. In some examples, the control device can also be connected to the ozonation deionization aqueous solution generating device and the chemical solution storage device to control their operation. In some possible implementations, the control device may include a processor, a memory, an input terminal, and an output terminal. The processor can be used to execute instructions and process data; the memory can store programs and data, such as cleaning history data, metering tool data, and statistical process control data; the input terminal can be used to receive external signals and convert these signals into a format that the control device can understand; the output terminal can be connected to the cleaning device, the ozonation deionization aqueous solution generating device, and the chemical solution storage device to transmit the processor's instructions to these devices to control their operating status.

[0073] In some embodiments, the cleaning equipment further includes a chemical delivery system (CDS). The CDS can be connected to the first channel, monitoring the flow rate and temperature of the ozonated deionized water in the first channel and feeding the monitoring results back to the control device to control the cleaning device's operation. Alternatively, the CDS can be connected to the second channel, monitoring the flow rate and temperature of the cleaning solution in the second channel and feeding the monitoring results back to the control device to control the cleaning device's operation. Of course, the CDS can also be connected to the third, fourth, and fifth channels respectively to detect relevant parameters of the deionized aqueous solution, drying gas, and isopropanol, feeding the monitoring results back to the control device to control the cleaning device's operation.

[0074] The embodiments of this application also propose a cleaning method, referring to... Figure 10 to Figure 12 The cleaning method may include the following steps:

[0075] S100: The surface of the etched semiconductor structure is pretreated using an ozonated deionized aqueous solution.

[0076] In this step, refer to Figure 10 to Figure 12 An ozono-deionized aqueous solution was used to pretreat the surface of the etched semiconductor structure. The ozone in the ozono-deionized aqueous solution oxidizes and removes hydrophobic organic matter from the semiconductor surface, thereby improving its hydrophilicity. Furthermore, the ozone in the ozono-deionized aqueous solution can also oxidize the surface material of the etched semiconductor structure, further enhancing its hydrophilicity. After this pretreatment, the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor surface is significantly increased, and the cleaning solution exhibits high wettability. Thus, the first cleaning step effectively removes residues from the semiconductor surface, improving its surface condition and increasing the yield of the fabricated semiconductor structure.

[0077] In some embodiments, the reaction site for pretreating the surface of the semiconductor structure can be a cleaning device. This cleaning device may include a cleaning apparatus and a first channel. The first channel supplies an ozonated deionized aqueous solution to the cleaning apparatus, which then performs pretreating of the ozonated deionized aqueous solution on the surface of the etched semiconductor structure. Furthermore, the cleaning device may also include an ozonated deionized aqueous solution generating apparatus, which generates the ozonated deionized aqueous solution. The ozonated deionized aqueous solution generating apparatus and the cleaning apparatus are connected via the first channel.

[0078] In some embodiments, during the pretreatment process, the ozone concentration in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution is 5 ppm to 100 ppm. For example, the ozone concentration in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution can be 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm, 60 ppm, 70 ppm, 80 ppm, 90 ppm, or 100 ppm.

[0079] By controlling the ozone concentration in the pretreatment ozonation deionization aqueous solution within the aforementioned range, the degree of oxidation reaction between the ozone in the ozonation deionization aqueous solution and the hydrophobic organic matter and materials on the semiconductor structure surface is moderate, resulting in high hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. Furthermore, controlling the ozone concentration in the pretreatment ozonation deionization aqueous solution within the aforementioned range effectively mitigates the problems of excessively low ozone concentration leading to slow oxidation rates and excessively long oxidation times, and excessively high ozone concentration causing ozone waste and increased costs for cleaning the semiconductor structure.

[0080] In some embodiments, during the pretreatment process, the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution is 0.5 L / min to 5 L / min. For example, the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution can be 0.5 L / min, 1 L / min, 1.5 L / min, 2 L / min, 2.5 L / min, 3 L / min, 3.5 L / min, 4 L / min, 4.5 L / min, or 5 L / min. By controlling the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution within the above range, the degree of oxidation reaction between the ozone in the ozonation deionization aqueous solution and the hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure, as well as the material on the surface of the semiconductor structure, is moderate, resulting in a high degree of hydrophilicity on the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus can pre-treat the surface of the semiconductor structure (the semiconductor structure is placed on the rotating platform) on a rotating platform to achieve sufficient contact between the surface of the semiconductor structure and the ozonated deionized aqueous solution. In some possible embodiments, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm to 2500 rpm, and the pre-treatment time is 5 s to 500 s. For example, the rotational speed of the rotating platform can be 50 rpm, 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 500 rpm, 1000 rpm, 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, or 2500 rpm; the pre-treatment time can be 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, 250 s, 300 s, 350 s, 400 s, 450 s, or 500 s. By controlling the rotational speed of the rotating platform and the pretreatment time within the aforementioned range, the contact between the semiconductor structure surface and the ozonation deionization aqueous solution is better. This facilitates a full reaction between the ozone in the ozonation deionization aqueous solution and the hydrophobic organic matter and materials on the semiconductor structure surface, resulting in higher hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface. In some other possible embodiments, after pretreatment of the semiconductor structure surface on the rotating platform, it can continue to rotate for a period of time or be left to stand for a period of time before the cleaning solution is introduced into the cleaning device for the first cleaning.

[0082] In some embodiments, the material of the semiconductor structure can be an inorganic material, which may include metallic and non-metallic materials. In one possible embodiment, the metallic material may be aluminum. In another possible embodiment, the non-metallic material may be one or more of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide. In other embodiments, the organic material may be polyimide. Of course, the material of the semiconductor structure may also include other materials, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0083] In some embodiments, the hydrophobic organic material on the surface of the semiconductor structure can be an organic material containing halogen groups, and the hydrophobic groups in the hydrophobic organic material can be halogen groups. In one possible embodiment, the hydrophobic organic material can be a fluorinated organic material. In another possible embodiment, the hydrophobic organic material can be a chlorinated organic material. Of course, the hydrophobic organic material can also include organic materials with other groups, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto.

[0084] S200: The surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure is first cleaned using a cleaning solution.

[0085] In this step, refer to Figure 10 to Figure 12After pretreatment of the surface of the etched semiconductor structure, the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface increases significantly, and the cleaning solution has high wettability on the surface of the semiconductor structure. Thus, the first cleaning can remove the residues on the surface of the semiconductor structure, improve the surface condition of the semiconductor structure, and increase the yield of the semiconductor structure.

[0086] In some embodiments, the reaction site for the first cleaning of the semiconductor structure surface can be a cleaning device, which may include a cleaning apparatus and a second channel. The second channel is used to supply cleaning solution to the cleaning apparatus, and the cleaning apparatus is used to perform the first cleaning of the pretreated semiconductor structure surface with the cleaning solution. Furthermore, the cleaning device may also include a solution storage device for storing the cleaning solution, and the solution storage device and the cleaning apparatus are connected through the second channel.

[0087] Since the main function of the cleaning solution is to remove residues from the surface of the semiconductor structure and improve its surface condition, the cleaning solution can be selected based on the type of semiconductor material and the cleaning purpose (e.g., it can be selected based on the type of residues on the semiconductor structure's surface). For example, if the semiconductor structure is made of silicon and the hydrophobic organic matter on its surface includes fluorinated organic matter, the cleaning solution may include one or more of cleaning solutions (ST250), (ICS8000 / ICS8010), and (9058). As another example, if the semiconductor structure is made of aluminum and the hydrophobic organic matter on its surface is a chlorine-containing compound, the cleaning solution may include cleaning solutions (NE111) and (ICS1111). Of course, following the principles of this application, other cleaning solutions may also be included, and this application does not limit this. For example, the water content in the cleaning solution may be 20%-90%. As another example, the temperature of the cleaning solution may be 20℃-40℃.

[0088] In some embodiments, during the first cleaning process, the flow rate of the cleaning solution is 0.5 L / min to 5 L / min. For example, the flow rate of the cleaning solution can be 0.5 L / min, 1 L / min, 1.5 L / min, 2 L / min, 2.5 L / min, 3 L / min, 3.5 L / min, 4 L / min, 4.5 L / min, or 5 L / min. This achieves a superior cleaning effect during the first cleaning process.

[0089] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus can perform a first cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure (the semiconductor structure is placed on the rotating platform) on a rotating platform to ensure sufficient contact between the surface of the semiconductor structure and the cleaning solution. In some possible embodiments, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm to 2500 rpm, and the cleaning time of the first cleaning is 5 s to 500 s. For example, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm, 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 500 rpm, 1000 rpm, 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, or 2500 rpm; the cleaning time of the first cleaning can be 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, 250 s, 300 s, 350 s, 400 s, 450 s, or 500 s. In this way, the surface of the semiconductor structure and the cleaning solution are well mixed, which is beneficial for the cleaning solution to remove residues from the surface of the semiconductor structure, and can achieve a better cleaning effect of the first cleaning. In some other possible implementations, after the surface of the semiconductor structure is first cleaned on the rotating platform, it can continue to rotate for a period of time, or it can be left to stand for a period of time before the ozonated deionized aqueous solution is passed into the cleaning device for reprocessing, or the deionized aqueous solution is passed into the cleaning device for a second cleaning.

[0090] In some embodiments, step S200 may further include the following steps:

[0091] S210: The surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning is reprocessed using an ozonated deionized aqueous solution.

[0092] In this step, refer to Figure 12 After the cleaning solution performs the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure, it may react with the surface to generate new hydrophobic substances, reducing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor surface. Re-treating the semiconductor surface with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied through the first channel oxidizes the new hydrophobic substances after the first cleaning, increasing the hydrophilicity of the semiconductor surface and facilitating subsequent removal of the cleaning solution from the semiconductor surface.

[0093] In some embodiments, during the reprocessing process, the ozone concentration in the ozonation-deionized aqueous solution is 5 ppm to 100 ppm. For example, the ozone concentration in the ozonation-deionized aqueous solution can be 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm, 60 ppm, 70 ppm, 80 ppm, 90 ppm, or 100 ppm. By controlling the ozone concentration in the ozonation-deionized aqueous solution within the above range, the degree of oxidation reaction between ozone and the hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and the material on the surface of the semiconductor structure, is moderate, resulting in a high degree of hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface.

[0094] In some embodiments, during the reprocessing process, the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution is 0.5 L / min to 5 L / min. For example, the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution can be 0.5 L / min, 1 L / min, 1.5 L / min, 2 L / min, 2.5 L / min, 3 L / min, 3.5 L / min, 4 L / min, 4.5 L / min, or 5 L / min. By controlling the flow rate of the ozonation deionization aqueous solution within the above range, the degree of oxidation reaction between ozone and the hydrophobic organic matter on the surface of the semiconductor structure, as well as the material on the surface of the semiconductor structure, is moderate, resulting in a high degree of hydrophilicity on the surface of the semiconductor structure.

[0095] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus can re-treat the surface of the semiconductor structure on a rotating platform to achieve sufficient contact between the surface of the semiconductor structure and the ozonated deionized aqueous solution. In some possible embodiments, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm to 2500 rpm, and the re-treatment time is 5 s to 500 s. For example, the rotational speed of the rotating platform can be 50 rpm, 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 500 rpm, 1000 rpm, 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, or 2500 rpm; the re-treatment time can be 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, 250 s, 300 s, 350 s, 400 s, 450 s, or 500 s. By controlling the rotational speed of the rotating platform and the re-treatment time within the above ranges, the contact between the surface of the semiconductor structure and the ozonated deionized aqueous solution is better, which is conducive to the full reaction between the ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution and the hydrophobic organic matter and materials on the surface of the semiconductor structure, resulting in a higher hydrophilicity of the semiconductor structure surface.

[0096] S220: The surface of the reprocessed semiconductor structure is first cleaned using a cleaning solution.

[0097] In this step, refer to Figure 12The surface of the reprocessed semiconductor structure is first cleaned using a cleaning solution. The first cleaning removes the cleaning solution remaining on the surface of the semiconductor structure in step S210.

[0098] S300: The surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning is cleaned with a deionized aqueous solution.

[0099] In this step, refer to Figure 11 A second cleaning is performed on the surface of the semiconductor structure after step S200 using a deionized aqueous solution, which can remove the cleaning solution remaining on the surface of the semiconductor structure after step S200; (Reference) Figure 12 A second cleaning is performed on the surface of the semiconductor structure after step S220 using a deionized aqueous solution, which can remove the cleaning solution remaining on the surface of the semiconductor structure after step S220. Figure 11 and Figure 12 The difference is: Figure 12 This includes step S210, which involves reprocessing the surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning, and step S220, which involves performing a first cleaning on the surface of the reprocessed semiconductor structure. This also leads to... Figure 11 In step S200, a second cleaning is performed on the surface of the semiconductor structure using a deionized aqueous solution; while... Figure 12 In this process, a second cleaning is performed on the surface of the semiconductor structure after step S220 using a deionized aqueous solution. In some possible embodiments, the deionized aqueous solution may include at least one of deionized water, ozonated deionized aqueous solution, and carbon dioxide-deionized aqueous solution.

[0100] In some embodiments, during the second cleaning process, the flow rate of the deionized aqueous solution is 0.5 L / min to 5 L / min. For example, the flow rate of the deionized aqueous solution can be 0.5 L / min, 1 L / min, 1.5 L / min, 2 L / min, 2.5 L / min, 3 L / min, 3.5 L / min, 4 L / min, 4.5 L / min, or 5 L / min. This allows for a superior cleaning effect during the second cleaning process.

[0101] In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus can perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure on a rotating platform to achieve sufficient contact between the surface of the semiconductor structure and the deionized aqueous solution. In some possible embodiments, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm to 2500 rpm, and the cleaning time of the second cleaning is 5 s to 500 s. For example, the rotational speed of the rotating platform is 50 rpm, 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 500 rpm, 1000 rpm, 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, or 2500 rpm; the cleaning time of the second cleaning can be 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, 250 s, 300 s, 350 s, 400 s, 450 s, or 500 s. In this way, a better cleaning effect of the second cleaning can be achieved. In other possible embodiments, after the second cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure on the rotating platform, it can continue to rotate for a period of time, or it can be left to stand for a period of time, and then a drying gas is introduced into the cleaning apparatus for drying.

[0102] S400: The surface of the second-cleaned semiconductor structure is dried using a drying gas.

[0103] In this step, refer to Figure 11 and Figure 12 The drying gas dries the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning, quickly removing any residual deionized water solution from the second cleaning process. In some possible embodiments, the drying gas can be nitrogen. For example, room temperature nitrogen or heated nitrogen can be used to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure. The flow rate of the drying gas can be 0.5 L / min to 10 L / min. For example, the flow rate of the drying gas can be 0.5 L / min, 1 L / min, 1.5 L / min, 2 L / min, 2.5 L / min, 3 L / min, 3.5 L / min, 4 L / min, 4.5 L / min, 5 L / min, or 10 L / min.

[0104] In some embodiments, a spin-drying device can be used to spin-dry the surface of the second-cleaned semiconductor structure. The spin-drying speed is 50 rpm to 2500 rpm, and the spin-drying time is 5 s to 500 s. For example, the spin-drying speed can be 50 rpm, 100 rpm, 300 rpm, 500 rpm, 1000 rpm, 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, or 2500 rpm; and the spin-drying time can be 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 50 s, 100 s, 150 s, 200 s, 250 s, 300 s, 350 s, 400 s, 450 s, or 500 s. In this way, the surface of the semiconductor structure can be rapidly spin-dried.

[0105] In some embodiments, before the drying process in step S400 and after the second cleaning in step S300, isopropanol can be used to perform a third cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure. In this way, isopropanol can remove the less volatile deionized aqueous solution. Isopropanol has low surface tension and is easily volatile; replacing the high-surface-tension deionized aqueous solution on the semiconductor structure surface with isopropanol facilitates subsequent drying with a drying gas, reducing the time required for drying the semiconductor structure surface.

[0106] In some embodiments, the semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a plurality of material layers stacked on the substrate, wherein the surface of at least one etched material layer has a hydrophilicity greater than a threshold. The threshold can be selected according to actual cleaning requirements. This results in higher hydrophilicity of the material layers in the semiconductor structure, which facilitates better cleaning of the semiconductor structure. In some embodiments, hydrophilicity can also be measured using a water droplet angle; for example, in some examples, the water droplet angle of the surface of the semiconductor structure cleaned by the cleaning method provided in the embodiments of this application is less than or equal to a predetermined value, which is less than or equal to 20°.

[0107] The present application will be described below through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific embodiments below are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present application in any way. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, unless otherwise specified, the materials and equipment used are commercially available. If specific processing conditions and methods are not explicitly described in the later embodiments, conditions and methods known in the art can be used for processing.

[0108] Example 1

[0109] The steps for fabricating a semiconductor structure include:

[0110] (1) The silicon semiconductor structure was etched using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas. After the etching process was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that there were fluorine-containing organic substances on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure and the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 50°.

[0111] (2) Provide cleaning equipment, which includes a cleaning device. In the cleaning device, the surface of the etched silicon semiconductor structure is pretreated with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution, wherein the ozone concentration in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution is 50 ppm. After the pretreatment is completed, the silicon semiconductor structure is tested and it is found that the fluorine-containing organic matter on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure is greatly reduced and the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure is about 5°.

[0112] (3) In the cleaning device, ICS8010 cleaning solution was used to perform the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure; after the first cleaning was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 20°.

[0113] (4) In the cleaning device, deionized water is used to perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning; then nitrogen is used to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning.

[0114] Surface testing of the dried semiconductor structure revealed that very little ICS8010 cleaning solution remained on the surface, indicating a high yield rate for semiconductor structure fabrication.

[0115] Example 2

[0116] The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that step (3) in Example 2 includes:

[0117] (3-1) In the cleaning device, ICS8010 cleaning solution was used to perform the first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure; after the first cleaning was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 20°.

[0118] (3-2) In the cleaning device, the surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning was re-treated by ozonation deionized water solution; after the re-treatment was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that the fluorine-containing organic matter on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was basically gone and the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 5°.

[0119] (3-3) In the cleaning apparatus, the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure is cleaned again with ICS8010 cleaning solution.

[0120] Inspection of the surface of the dried semiconductor structure revealed that there was no residual ICS8010 cleaning solution on the surface of the semiconductor structure, indicating a high yield rate in the preparation of the semiconductor structure.

[0121] Comparative Example 1

[0122] The steps for cleaning semiconductor structures include:

[0123] (1) The silicon semiconductor structure was etched using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas. After the etching process was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that there were fluorine-containing organic substances on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure and the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 50°.

[0124] (2) In the cleaning device, the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure was first cleaned using ICS8010 cleaning solution; after the first cleaning was completed, the silicon semiconductor structure was tested and it was found that the water droplet angle on the surface of the silicon semiconductor structure was about 75°.

[0125] (3) Provide cleaning equipment, the cleaning equipment includes a cleaning device, in which deionized water is used to perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning; and nitrogen is used to dry the surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning.

[0126] Inspection of the surface of the dried semiconductor structure revealed that a significant amount of ICS8010 cleaning solution remained on the surface. Compared to Example 1, the yield of the semiconductor structure prepared in Comparative Example 1 decreased by approximately 25%.

[0127] by Figure 13 Let's take an example to illustrate. Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the process flow for fabricating a semiconductor structure. (Example:) Figure 13 As shown in (1), the semiconductor structure may include: a substrate 100 (e.g., a silicon substrate 100), in which active devices may be disposed, such as two active devices (these two active devices may be the same or different); at least one front metal layer 300, which is located on one side of the substrate 100, and the two active devices may be connected through the front metal layer 300; the substrate 100 may also include a through-silicon via 200 (TSV), one end of which is connected to the active device through the front metal layer 300, and the other end of which can be used to connect the semiconductor structure to other electronic components. The process of exposing the other end of the through-silicon via 200 will be described in detail in the following process; Figure 13 As shown in (2), the semiconductor structure is bonded to the carrier plate 400 using an adhesive layer 500 (e.g., temporary bonding adhesive (TB adhesive)). Back-side thinning is performed on the side of the semiconductor structure away from the carrier plate 400. Figure 13 As shown in (3), after back-side thinning, the side of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400 is etched. After the etching is completed, the other end of the silicon via 200 is exposed. During the etching process, the residue on the surface of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400 may contain hydrophobic organic substances, such as fluorinated organic substances. The cleaning method provided in the embodiments of this application can be used to clean the surface of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400, which can achieve thorough and efficient cleaning of the surface of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400. Figure 13As shown in (4), a passivation layer 600 is provided on the side of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400. Since the surface of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400 has a better cleaning effect, the yield of providing the passivation layer 600 on the side of the semiconductor structure away from the substrate 400 is higher, which can improve the yield of the semiconductor structure.

[0128] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, characterized in that, include: Cleaning equipment; A first channel, connected to the cleaning device, is configured to supply the cleaning device with an ozonated deionized aqueous solution; The second channel is connected to the cleaning device and is configured to supply cleaning solution to the cleaning device. The cleaning apparatus is configured to pretreat the surface of the etched semiconductor structure through the ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied via the first channel. The cleaning apparatus is further configured to perform a first cleaning on the surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure through the cleaning solution supplied via the second channel.

2. The cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning apparatus is further configured to, after performing the first cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure, reprocess the surface of the semiconductor structure through the ozonated deionized aqueous solution supplied through the first channel.

3. The cleaning equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one ozonation deionized aqueous solution generating device, and at least one of the ozonation deionized aqueous solution generating devices is connected to the first channel; The ozonation deionized aqueous solution generating apparatus is configured to generate the ozonation deionized aqueous solution.

4. The cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one medicine storage device for storing the cleaning solution, and at least one of the medicine storage devices is connected to the second channel.

5. The cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, It also includes a third channel, which is connected to the cleaning device and is configured to supply the cleaning device with a deionized aqueous solution; The cleaning apparatus is further configured to perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure after performing the first cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure, through the deionized aqueous solution supplied by the third channel.

6. The cleaning equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a fourth channel, which is connected to the cleaning device and configured to supply dry gas to the cleaning device; The cleaning apparatus is further configured to perform a second cleaning on the surface of the semiconductor structure, and then dry the surface of the semiconductor structure with a drying gas supplied through the fourth channel.

7. The cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, It also includes a control device connected to the cleaning device; the control device is configured to control the operation of the cleaning device.

8. A cleaning method, characterized in that, include: The surface of the etched semiconductor structure was pretreated using an ozonated deionized aqueous solution. The surface of the pretreated semiconductor structure is first cleaned using a cleaning solution.

9. The cleaning method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: The surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning is then reprocessed using the ozonated deionized aqueous solution.

10. The cleaning method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, Also includes: The surface of the semiconductor structure after the first cleaning is then cleaned using a deionized aqueous solution.

11. The cleaning method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: The surface of the semiconductor structure after the second cleaning is dried using a drying gas.

12. The cleaning method according to any one of claims 8-11, characterized in that, The semiconductor structure is made of at least one of aluminum, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and polyimide.

13. The cleaning method according to any one of claims 8-12, characterized in that, The surface of the semiconductor structure after the etching process has residual hydrophobic organic matter, including organic matter containing halogen groups.

14. The cleaning method according to any one of claims 8-13, characterized in that, The concentration of ozone in the ozonated deionized aqueous solution is between 5 ppm and 100 ppm.

15. A semiconductor structure, characterized in that, include: A substrate, and a plurality of material layers stacked on the substrate, wherein the surface of at least one etched material layer has a hydrophilicity greater than a threshold.

16. An apparatus for fabricating semiconductor structures, characterized in that, include: Etching equipment, and cleaning equipment as described in any one of claims 1-7; The etching equipment and the cleaning equipment are connected; The etching apparatus is configured to etch the surface of the semiconductor structure.

Images