Methods for treating objects

• US 6,143,087 A
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CFMT Inc.
• Inventors: Walter, Alan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US09/253,629
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/10, 134/11, 134/21, 134/25.1, 134/25.4, 134/26, 134/30, 134/31, 134/37
• US Class Current: 134/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam B08B9/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• 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

Abstract

An object is treated by contacting it with an organic solvent and then removing the organic solvent by directly displacing it with a fluid comprising a drying vapor (e.g., isopropyl alcohol or IPA vapor) such that substantially no liquid droplets of organic solvent or drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

Claims

1. A method for treating an object having one or more surfaces, comprising:

placing the object in a vessel;

introducing an organic solvent into the vessel;

contacting the surfaces of the object with the organic solvent; and

removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with a fluid comprising a drying vapor by controlling conditions within the vessel such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of introducing the organic solvent comprises introducing the organic solvent which comprises an organic photoresist stripping solvent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of introducing the organic solvent comprises introducing the organic solvent which comprises N-methyl pyrrolidone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of introducing the organic solvent comprises introducing the organic solvent which includes isopropyl alcohol.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the drying vapor comprises isopropyl alcohol or acetone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the drying vapor comprises a compound having the formula R--O--R'"'"', wherein R comprises an organic radical having between 2 to about 10 carbon atoms and R'"'"' comprises an organic radical having between 2 to 10 carbon atoms or hydrogen.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by pushing the organic solvent downwardly with the fluid comprising the drying vapor.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by drawing away the organic solvent as the fluid comprising the drying vapor pushes downwardly on the organic solvent.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing step comprises placing the object which comprises a semiconductor wafer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the contacting step further comprises applying sonic energy to the surfaces of the object and the organic solvent.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the contacting step further comprises applying the sonic energy which has a frequency of from about 20 to about 40 kilohertz.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the contacting step further comprises applying the sonic energy which has a frequency of from about 0.8 to about 1.5 megahertz.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing step comprises placing the object in the vessel which comprises a sealable enclosure.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing step further comprises placing the object in the vessel and holding the object stationary within the vessel during all steps of the method.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the placing step comprises placing the object in the vessel which comprises a sealable enclosure.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing step comprises placing a plurality of the objects in the vessel.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with the fluid comprising the drying vapor by controlling the rate at which the fluid directly displaces the organic solvent such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with the fluid comprising the drying vapor by controlling pressure in the vessel such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with the fluid comprising the drying vapor by controlling the temperature of at least the organic solvent such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with the fluid comprising the drying vapor by controlling condensation of the drying vapor on the surfaces of the object such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises removing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object by directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with the fluid comprising the drying vapor by controlling the temperature of at least the fluid such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent or the drying vapor are left on the surfaces of the object to evaporate after the direct displacement of the organic solvent with the fluid.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of purging the vessel of the fluid comprising the drying vapor after the removing step with an inert gas, wherein the inert gas comprises nitrogen or argon.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of introducing the organic solvent comprises introducing the organic solvent which comprises an alcohol.