Semiconductor Cleaning Composition for CMP Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning agents for semiconductor substrates after chemical-mechanical polishing fail to effectively remove impurities like residual abrasive grains and metal ions from low dielectric constant films without corroding metal wiring or degrading electric characteristics, leading to contamination and reduced device performance.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning composition containing organic polymer particles with a crosslinked structure and specific average dispersed particle diameter, combined with a complexing agent and surfactant, effectively removes impurities from both metal wiring and low dielectric constant films without causing corrosion or mechanical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cleaning agent containing hydrofluoric acid is used, then decontamination capability is improved, but metal wiring is corroded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the cleaning agent by replacing hydrofluoric acid with organic acids (formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, or their mixtures) and controlling pH within 1-6. This parameter substitution maintains decontamination effectiveness while eliminating corrosive damage to metal wiring structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs conventional organic acids that are readily available and cost-effective alternatives to hydrofluoric acid. These acids provide sufficient cleaning power for temporary use in the polishing process without requiring specialized handling or creating long-term corrosion risks.
2Reliability
If a cleaning agent containing ammonia is used, then decontamination capability is improved, but copper wiring is corroded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes ammonia-based cleaning agents with organic acid-based agents, changing the chemical pH and composition parameters. The organic acids (formic, acetic, propionic, butyric acid) maintain effective decontamination while being chemically incompatible with copper corrosion mechanisms, thus protecting copper wiring structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses commercially available organic acids as disposable cleaning agents that provide adequate cleaning performance for the specific application without creating residual corrosion risks on copper surfaces.
3Reliability
If a cleaning composition containing organic polymer particles with crosslinked structure is used, then decontamination capability is improved, but low dielectric constant film is mechanically damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the particle size parameter of organic polymer particles to 1 μm or smaller, which allows effective removal of polishing residues while being gentle enough not to mechanically damage the softer low dielectric constant films. The combination of small particle size with organic acid chemistry provides cleaning power without mechanical aggression.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite cleaning system combining organic polymer particles (for mechanical removal) with organic acids (for chemical dissolution). This composite approach allows the gentle polymer particles to handle bulk residue removal while the acids complete the cleaning without requiring aggressive particle sizes that would damage the dielectric film.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If citric acid is used as a cleaning agent, then corrosion of metal wiring is prevented, but decontamination capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple organic acids (formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid) that can be used individually or in combination. This multi-functional approach provides enhanced decontamination capability compared to citric acid alone while maintaining the non-corrosive property toward metal wiring through the shared organic acid mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple organic acids together or with other cleaning components to achieve synergistic decontamination effects. The combination provides cumulative cleaning power that surpasses individual acids like citric acid while the organic acid family collectively maintains corrosion resistance on metal surfaces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cleaning composition achieves high decontamination efficiency, preventing surface defects and ensuring the production of high-quality semiconductor devices by effectively removing impurities without harming the metal wiring or low dielectric constant films.
Implementation Method 1
organic polymer particles having a crosslinked structure with a specific average dispersed particle diameter
Implementation Method 2
complexing agent (B)
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
AI summary
A cleaning composition can decontaminate a surface of a chemically mechanically polished semiconductor substrate having a metal wiring and a low dielectric constant film and can highly remove impurities such as residual abrasive grains, residual polishing waste, and metal ions on the metal wiring and low dielectric constant film without corroding the metal wiring, degrading electric characteristics of the low dielectric constant film, and causing mechanical damage to the low dielectric constant film. A cleaning method of a semiconductor substrate uses the cleaning composition, and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor substrate includes a step of performing the cleaning method. The cleaning composition is used for a chemically mechanically polished surface, and includes organic polymer particles (A) having a crosslinked structure and an average dispersed particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 100 nm, and a complexing agent (B).