Surface treatment of semiconductor substrates

• US 6,090,217 A
• Filed: 12/09/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Kittle
• Inventors: Kittle, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US09/208,112
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 134/2, 134/22.18, 134/31, 134/36, 134/22.19, 134/21, 134/11, 134/17
• US Class Current: 134/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

Surface cleaning, chemical treatment and drying of semiconductor substrates is carried out using foam as a medium instead of a condensed phase liquid medium. In cleaning and chemical treatment, by introducing a foam into an overflow vessel the foam is caused to pass over the substrate in moving contact therewith. Drying of the substrate is carried out, using a water solution of carbon dioxide in a pressurizable vessel. By releasing the pressure in the vessel, a layer of foam is established on the surface of the solution. The solution is discharged from the vessel, causing the foam layer to pass over the substrate in moving contact therewith. The carbon dioxide reduces the surface tension of the water, thereby enabling the foam layer to be produced and also assisting in the elimination of water from the surface of the substrate. In both cases, the use of foam reduces materials requirements and also reduces the quantity of particles deposited onto the substrate in the treatment process.

Claims

1. A process for drying a substrate comprising the steps of:

supporting the substrate within a foam treatment vessel causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide in deionized water under pressure within said foam treatment vessel;

thereafter gradually reducing the pressure within the foam treatment vessel, thereby causing carbon dioxide bubbles to form a foam layer on the surface of the solution; and

,

while gradually reducing the pressure within the foam treatment vessel, causing the foam layer to move relative to the substrate so that the substrate Passes through the foam layer, in moving contact therewith, into a gaseous atmosphere.

2. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the foam treatment vessel.

3. The process according to claim 1, in which the thickness of the foam layer is maintained substantially constant while the substrate passes through the foam layer.

4. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the foam treatment vessel, and in which the foam layer is maintained by addition of carbon dioxide to the solution within the foam treatment vessel as said solution is being discharged.

5. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the foam treatment vessel, and in which the foam layer is maintained by addition of deionized water containing dissolved carbon dioxide to the solution within the foam treatment vessel as said solution is being discharged.

6. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam treatment vessel is an inner vessel located within an outer, pressurizable, containment vessel, in which the solution of carbon dioxide in deionized water is contained within the inner vessel, and in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the inner vessel.

7. The process according to claim 1, in which, before causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide, the substrate is caused to be submerged in pure deionized water, and the step of causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide is carried out by displacing at least part of said pure deionized water by said solution.

8. The process according to claim 1, in which, before causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide, the substrate is caused to be submerged in pure deionized water, and the step of causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide is carried out by displacing at least part of said pure deionized water by pumping said solution into the foam treatment vessel under pressure.

9. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam treatment vessel is an inner vessel located within an outer, pressurizable, containment vessel, in which the solution of carbon dioxide in deionized water is contained within the inner vessel, and in which, before causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide, the substrate is caused to be submerged in pure deionized water, and the step of causing the supported substrate to be submerged in a solution of carbon dioxide is carried out by displacing at least part of said pure deionized water in the inner vessel by pumping said solution into the inner vessel under pressure.

10. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate gradually over a time interval, and in which the reduction of pressure within the foam treatment vessel takes place gradually throughout said time interval.

11. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the foam treatment vessel over a time interval, and in which the reduction of pressure within the foam treatment vessel takes place gradually throughout said time interval.

12. The process according to claim 1, in which the foam layer is caused to move relative to the substrate by gradually discharging the solution from the foam treatment vessel over a time interval, and in which the reduction of pressure within the foam treatment vessel is carried out at least in part by venting gas from said foam treatment vessel.