Selective treatment of microelectronic workpiece surfaces
First Claim
1. A process for treating an electrochemically processed workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side, and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
- (a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion receiving the first side of the workpiece and a second chamber portion receiving the second side of the workpiece;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the first side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid; and
(c) supplying a second fluid to the second chamber portion to expose the second side to the second fluid, wherein at least one of the first and second fluids comprises an etchant for removal of a metal or oxide film from an exposed surface portion of the workpiece.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides a process for treating a workpiece having a front side, a back side, and an outer perimeter. In accordance with the process, a processing fluid is selectively applied or excluded from an outer peripheral margin of at least one of the front or back sides or the workpiece. Exclusion and/or application of the processing fluid occurs by applying one or more processing fluids to the workpiece as the workpiece and corresponding reactor are spinning about an axis of rotation that is generally orthogonal to the center of the face of the workpiece being processed. The flow rate of the one or more processing fluids, fluid pressure, and/or spin rate are used to control the extent to which the processing fluid is selectively applied or excluded from the outer peripheral margin.
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Citations
79 Claims
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1. A process for treating an electrochemically processed workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side, and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion receiving the first side of the workpiece and a second chamber portion receiving the second side of the workpiece;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the first side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid; and
(c) supplying a second fluid to the second chamber portion to expose the second side to the second fluid, wherein at least one of the first and second fluids comprises an etchant for removal of a metal or oxide film from an exposed surface portion of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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26. A process for treating an electrochemically processed workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion receiving the first side and a second chamber portion receiving the second side; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the first side and the peripheral edge to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid, wherein the first fluid comprises an etchant for removal of a metal film or oxide film from an exposed surface portion of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having a front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with metal ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the semiconductor workpiece in a reaction chamber;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the chamber to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time period and comprises an etchant that removes at least a portion of the contaminant metal ions from the exposed surface of the workpiece; and
(c) supplying a second fluid to the chamber to expose the front side to the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having a front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with metal ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion that receives the back side and including a first fluid inlet and a second chamber portion receiving the front side and including a second fluid inlet; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time period and comprises an etchant that removes the contaminant metal ions from the exposed surface of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having a front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with copper ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the semiconductor workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion that receives the back side of the workpiece and a second chamber portion that receives the front side of the workpiece;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time period and comprises an etchant that removes at least a portion of the contaminant copper ions from the exposed surface of the workpiece; and
(c) supplying a second fluid to the second chamber portion to expose the front side to the second fluid.
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51. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having their front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with copper ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion that receives the back side and including a first fluid inlet and a second chamber portion receiving the front side and including a second fluid inlet; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time and comprises an etchant that removes at least a portion of the contaminant copper ions from the exposed surface of the workpiece.
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52. A process for treating a workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the chamber to expose the first side and the peripheral edge to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid.
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53. A process for treating a workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side, and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion receiving the first side of the workpiece, a second chamber portion receiving the second side of the workpiece, and a perimeter portion receiving the peripheral edge, further comprising at least one fluid outlet defined proximate the perimeter portion; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the first side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid, the first fluid flowing from the reaction chamber through the outlet in the perimeter edge portion of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A process for treating a workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side, and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion receiving the first side of the workpiece, a second chamber portion receiving the second side of the workpiece, and a perimeter portion receiving the peripheral edge; and
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the first side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side from exposure to the first fluid, the first fluid flowing from the reaction chamber out the outlet in the perimeter edge portion of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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- 60. An etchant solution for use in etching metal and oxides from an electroplating workpiece, comprising hydrofluoric acid in an amount sufficient to solubilize the oxide or an oxide of the metal, and ozone, in an aqueous carrier.
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65. A process for treating a workpiece, the workpiece having a first side, an opposing second side, and a peripheral edge defined between the first and second sides, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the chamber to expose the first side of the workpiece to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the second side of the workpiece from exposure to the first fluid; and
(c) supplying a second fluid to the chamber to expose the second side of the workpiece to the second fluid, wherein at least one of the first and second fluids comprises an etchant for removal of a metal or oxide film from an exposed surface portion of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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72. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having a front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with metal ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the semiconductor workpiece in a reaction chamber;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the chamber to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid;
(c) wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time period to remove at least a portion of the contaminant metal ions from the back side of the workpiece and said first fluid comprises an aqueous etchant solution comprised of;
(a1) an acid, selected and supplied at a concentration level sufficient to remove at least a portion of the contaminant metal ions from the back side of the workpiece, and (b1) an oxidizing agent; and
(d) supplying a second fluid to the chamber to expose the front side to the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. A process for treating a semiconductor workpiece having a front side on which a plurality of metallized devices are formed, an opposing back side and a peripheral edge defined between the front and back sides, the back side and/or peripheral edge being contaminated with copper ions, comprising:
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(a) placing the workpiece in a reaction chamber that includes a first chamber portion that receives the back side and including a first fluid inlet and a second chamber portion receiving the front side and including a second fluid inlet;
(b) supplying a first fluid to the first chamber portion to expose the back side to the first fluid while excluding at least a major portion of the front side from exposure to the first fluid;
(c) wherein the first fluid is supplied for a sufficient time period and comprises an aqueous etchant solution which comprises an acid selected and supplied at a concentration level sufficient to remove at least a portion of the contaminant copper ions from the back side of the workpiece; and
(d) wherein the etchant comprises;
(a1) an acid, selected and supplied at a concentration level sufficient to remove at least a portion of the contaminant copper ions from the back side of the workpiece, and (b1) an oxidizing agent. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79)
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Specification