Method of cleaning and treating a semiconductor device including a micromechanical device
First Claim
1. A method of cleaning and treating a device surface, comprising:
- placing said device surface in an enclosed and controlled environment;
exposing said device surface to a cleaning medium rendered as a supercritical fluid;
purging said environment of substances including a soluble chemical compound liberated from said device surface by said cleaning medium; and
treating said device surface in said enclosed and controlled environment by depositing a lubrication passivant before said device surface is removed from said environment to prevent contaminants from depositing upon said device surface prior to said treatment.
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Abstract
A method of cleaning and treating a device, including those of the micromechanical (10) and semiconductor type. The surface of a device, such as the landing electrode (22) of a digital micromirror device (10), is first cleaned with a supercritical fluid (SCF) in a chamber (50) to remove soluble chemical compounds, and then maintained in the SCF chamber until and during the subsequent passivation step. Passivants including PFDA and PFPE are suitable for the present invention. By maintaining the device in the SCF chamber, and without exposing the device to, for instance, the ambient of a clean room, organic and inorganic contaminants cannot be deposited upon the cleaned surface prior to the passivation step. The present invention derives technical advantages by providing an improved passivated surface that is suited to extend the useful operation life of devices, including those of the micromechanical type, reducing stiction forces between contacting elements such as a mirror and its landing electrode. The present invention is also suitable for cleaning and passivating other surfaces including a surface of semiconductor wafers, and the surface of a hard disk memory drive.
196 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of cleaning and treating a device surface, comprising:
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placing said device surface in an enclosed and controlled environment; exposing said device surface to a cleaning medium rendered as a supercritical fluid; purging said environment of substances including a soluble chemical compound liberated from said device surface by said cleaning medium; and treating said device surface in said enclosed and controlled environment by depositing a lubrication passivant before said device surface is removed from said environment to prevent contaminants from depositing upon said device surface prior to said treatment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for cleaning and treating a micro mechanical device, comprising:
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placing said device in a sealed chamber; introducing into said chamber a cleaning medium rendered as a supercritical fluid; flushing from said chamber substances liberated from said device and said chamber by said cleaning medium; and introducing into said chamber a treating medium forming a lubricating film on said device after said step of flushing and before said device is removed from said chamber to preserve said device until treating said device with said treating medium. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of processing a wafer, comprising the steps of:
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a) placing a wafer having a wafer surface in an enclosed and controlled environment; b) exposing said wafer surface to a cleaning medium rendered as a supercritical fluid; c) purging said environment of substances including a soluble chemical compound liberated from said wafer surface by said cleaning medium; and d) applying a material on said wafer surface while said wafer remains in said enclosed and controlled environment to prevent contaminants from depositing upon said wafer surface prior to said material application. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification