Megasonic precision cleaning of semiconductor process equipment components and parts

• US 20080142055A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Jiang, Linda (Tong), Yin, Yaobo
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/95.1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0288 Ultra or megasonic jets
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67057 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67086 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for using various megasonic apparatus including megasonic tanks, scanning megasonic plates, megasonic jets, and megasonic sweeping beams etc., in combination with selective chemistries to remove sub-micron particulate contaminants from the surfaces of the processing equipment used in semiconductor, medical, or any other processing environments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a processing component, comprising:

a tank having a cavity defined by a base and one or more sidewalls extending therefrom and an opening opposite the base, the tank being configured to hold a volume of fluid within the cavity to immerse the processing component; and

a plate assembly, wherein the plate assembly is capable of moving over a surface of the processing component, and wherein the plate assembly is capable of generating high frequency megasonic acoustic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the processing component.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more megasonic transducers coupled to at least one of the one or more sidewalls, wherein the one or more megasonic transducers coupled to at least one of the one more sidewalls is capable of generating megasonic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to a second surface of the processing component.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more megasonic transducers coupled to the base, wherein the one or more megasonic transducers coupled to the base is capable of generating megasonic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to a third surface of the processing component.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second plate assembly, where the second plate assembly is coupled to the base of the tank, the second plate assembly being capable of moving over a second surface of the processing component that is generally opposite the surface of the processing component, and the second plate assembly being capable of generating acoustic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to the second surface of the processing component

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a carrier element, wherein the carrier element is capable of supporting the processing component within the cavity of the tank.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein moving over the surface of the processing component includes a forward, a backward, a lateral, an angular, or a circular scanning motion.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing component is a semiconductor device processing component.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is deionized water.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is an aqueous alkali solution, an aqueous acidic solution, a neutral surfactant solution, an acidic surfactant solution, a basic surfactant solution, an aqueous surfactant solution, or a mixture of organic solvent and water.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the aqueous alkali solution is NH₄OH+H₂O₂+H₂O.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the aqueous acidic solution is HCI+H₂O₂+H₂O, HF+H₂0₂+H₂0.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is heated.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is re-circulated using in-situ filtration.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is one of a sequence of fluids, the sequence of fluids being selectively added within the cavity of the tank to optimize cleaning of the surface.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is energy having a frequency of 600 KHz to 2 MHz.

16. An apparatus for cleaning a processing component, comprising:

a processing chamber having a carrier element, wherein the carrier element is capable of supporting the processing component within the processing chamber;

a fluid supply assembly, the fluid supply assembly being capable of supplying a fluid to a surface of the processing component; and

a beam assembly, the beam assembly being capable of generating a beam of high frequency megasonic acoustic energy, wherein the beam of high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is applied to the surface of the processing component.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the fluid supply assembly includes a supply line coupling a nozzle to a source of the fluid.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the fluid is deionized water.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the fluid is an aqueous alkali solution, an aqueous acidic solution, a neutral surfactant solution, an acidic surfactant solution, a basic surfactant solution, an aqueous surfactant solution, or a mixture of organic solvent and water.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the beam assembly is a sweeping beam assembly, the sweeping beam assembly being capable of using a sweeping motion to apply the beam of acoustic energy to the surface of the processing component.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is energy having a frequency of 600 KHz to 2 MHz.

22. An apparatus for cleaning a processing component, comprising:

a processing chamber having a carrier element, wherein the carrier element is capable of supporting the processing component within the processing chamber; and

a jet assembly, the jet assembly being capable of supplying acoustically energized fluid to a surface of the processing component.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the jet assembly includes a nozzle portion, the nozzle portion being capable of generating acoustic energy and applying the acoustic energy to a fluid traveling along a throughway of the nozzle portion to provide the acoustically energized fluid.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the jet assembly includes a body portion coupled to a nozzle portion, the transducer body portion being capable of generating acoustic energy and applying the acoustic energy to a fluid traveling along a throughway of the transducer body portion to provide the acoustically energized fluid at the nozzle portion.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the acoustically energized fluid is provided from an application of megasonic energy having a frequency of 600 KHz to 2 MHz.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the acoustically energized fluid includes deionized water.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the acoustically energized fluid includes an aqueous alkali solution, an aqueous acidic solution, a neutral surfactant solution, an acidic surfactant solution, a basic surfactant solution, an aqueous surfactant solution, or a mixture of organic solvent and water.