Method for cleaning a wafer chuck and characterization system

Abstract

This invention discloses a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a substrate. One or more patterns are formed on one of the bottom sides of the substrate. When the substrate is positioned on a jig, one or more structures within the one or more patterns attract one or more particles from the jig via at least one of electrostatic attraction or mechanical capture.

Claims

1. A cleaning method comprising: A cleaning assembly is provided in a cabinet; The cleaning assembly is moved from the cabinet to a conductive chuck contained in a process chamber via a processing device; and a surface of the conductive chuck is cleaned using the cleaning assembly, wherein the cleaning assembly includes: an insulating cleaning substrate; one or more batteries; and a conductor element attached to a top side of the cleaning substrate, wherein the one or more batteries are electrically coupled to the conductor element, and wherein the one or more batteries are configured to establish an electric field between the conductor element and the conductive chuck with a capacitance configuration to enhance electrostatic-based uptake of charged particles from the conductive chuck.

2. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a ceramic wafer.

3. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is shaped into a semiconductor wafer.

4. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein one or more structures within one or more patterns are formed by carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

5. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is configured to be controlled by a processing device.

6. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of pattern types, wherein each pattern type is configured to attract particles of different sizes.

7. The cleaning method as described in claim 1, wherein the electrostatic attraction is caused by Van der Waals force.

8. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning assembly further includes a grounding connection, wherein the grounding connection is configured to ground the conductive fixture.

9. The cleaning method of claim 8, wherein the one or more batteries are configured to establish an electric field between 0.1 and 5 kV between the conductor element and the conductive clamp to enhance electrostatic attraction of charged particles from the conductive clamp.

10. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes one or more reservoirs.

11. The cleaning method of claim 10, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to carry one or more chemical reactants.

12. The cleaning method of claim 11, wherein the substrate includes one or more valves for releasing one or more chemical reactants from one or more reservoirs onto the conductive clamp.

13. The cleaning method of claim 12, wherein the one or more valves include one or more mechanical valves configured to open when the substrate is positioned on the conductive fixture.

14. The cleaning method of claim 11, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to release the one or more chemical reactants after exposure to a thermal shock.

15. The cleaning method of claim 10, wherein the one or more reservoirs include one or more valves that can be activated by a shape memory alloy actuator, wherein the shape memory alloy actuator is configured to open the one or more valves based on a temperature change of one of the shape memory alloy actuators.

16. The cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the substrate can be installed in a cleaning substrate cabinet, wherein the substrate can be delivered from the cleaning substrate cabinet to a process chamber via a processing device.

17. A characterization system, comprising: One or more characterization subsystems, wherein the one or more characterization subsystems are configured to detect a portion of a wafer arranged on a conductive jig of a process tool, wherein the one or more characterization subsystems are further configured to generate characterization data based on the detection of the portion of the wafer arranged on the conductive jig of the process tool; and a controller comprising one or more processors configured to: receive pre-cleaning characterization data of a cleaning substrate of a cleaning assembly from the one or more characterization subsystems; Based on the pre-cleaning characteristic data, determine one or more cleaning parameters; and guide one or more robot assemblies to position the cleaning assembly to the conductive gripper of the process tool to remove one or more particles from the conductive gripper based on the one or more cleaning parameters, wherein the cleaning assembly includes one or more batteries; and attach to a conductor element on a top side of the cleaning substrate, wherein the one or more batteries are electrically coupled to the conductor element, wherein the one or more batteries are configured to establish an electric field between the conductor element and the conductive gripper with a capacitance configuration to enhance the electrostatic attraction of charged particles from the conductive gripper; and guide one or more robot assemblies to remove the cleaning assembly from the process tool.

18. The characterization system of claim 17, wherein the one or more characterization subsystems include: At least one of a detection tool or a particle review tool.

19. The characterization system of claim 18, wherein the particle re-inspection tool includes an electron beam tool.

20. The characteristic system of claim 19, wherein the electron beam tool is configured to generate particle review data.

21. The characterization system as described in request item 17, wherein the one or more cleaning parameters include: The preparation of the cleaning substrate, the initiation of a cleaning cycle, or the orientation of the cleaning substrate, at least one of the following:

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