Method for treating a semiconductor device

• US 10,041,904 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ball, James, Reed, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US15/704,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20180003672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/08 Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/162 containing Si
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3418 Toluene -, xylene -, cumene -, benzene - or naphthalene sulfonates or sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/43 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/34 containing sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5013 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5022 containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5027 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors

Abstract

A sensor array includes a plurality of sensors. A sensor of the plurality of sensors has a sensor pad exposed at a surface of the sensor array. A method of treating the sensor array includes exposing at least the sensor pad to a wash solution including sulfonic acid and an organic solvent and rinsing the wash solution from the sensor pad.

Claims

1. A method of treating a sensor array, the sensor array including a plurality of sensors, a sensor of the plurality of sensors having a sensor pad exposed at a surface of the sensor array, the method comprising:

exposing at least the sensor pad to a wash solution comprising sulfonic acid and an organic solvent; and

rinsing the wash solution from the sensor pad.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfonic acid includes alkyl sulfonic acid, alkyl aryl sulfonic acid, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkyl aryl sulfonic acid includes an alkyl group having between 1 and 20 carbons.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfonic acid includes dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wash solution includes between 10 mM and 500 mM of the sulfonic acid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wash solution includes between 0.5 wt % and 25 wt % of the sulfonic acid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is non-polar.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent has a boiling point in a range of 36°

C. to 345°

C.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is an alkane having between 6 and 24 carbons.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is a polar aprotic solvent.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the sensor pad and the wash solution while exposing the sensor pad to the wash solution at a temperature in a range of 35°

C. to 70°

C.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing includes exposing for a period in a range of 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing at least the sensor pad to a basic solution following exposing the sensor pad to the wash solution.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes rinsing with a rinse organic solvent miscible with water and the organic solvent.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the polar aprotic solvent includes tetrahydrofuran, ethylacetate, acetone, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methyl pyrrolidone, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the basic solution includes between 0.005M and 1.5M sodium hydroxide.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the rinse organic solvent includes alcohol.

18. A method of treating a sensor array, the sensor array including a plurality of sensors, a sensor of the plurality of the sensors including a sensor pad, a well structure disposed over the sensory array and defining wells of a well array corresponding with the sensor array, a well of the well array providing an opening to the sensor pad, a cap attached over the sensor array and the well structure and including a fluid port and a space defined between the cap and the well structure, the method comprising:

applying a wash solution through the fluid port into the space and waiting for a first period between 30 seconds and 30 minutes, the wash solution comprising sulfonic acid and an organic solvent;

applying a basic solution through the fluid port into the space and waiting for a second period between 20 seconds and 15 minutes; and

applying a rinse solution through the fluid port.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising repeating applying the wash solution, applying the basic solution, and applying the rinse solution.