Methods for treating objects

• US 6,348,101 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• 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:
  US09/669,789
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/10, 134/11, 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 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 of 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 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 an organic solvent comprising an organic photoresist stripping solvent.

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

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

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the organic solvent comprises directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with a fluid comprising a drying vapor, wherein the drying vapor comprises isopropyl alcohol or acetone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the organic solvent comprises directly displacing the organic solvent from the surfaces of the object with a fluid comprising a drying vapor, wherein the drying vapor comprises a compound of the formula R—

O—

R′

, wherein

R comprises an organic radical having between 2 to 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 comprising a semiconductor wafer.

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

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

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the contacting step further comprises applying sonic energy having 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 a vessel comprising a sealable enclosure.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of holding the object stationary within the vessel during the steps of the method.

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

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing step comprises placing a plurality of the objects in a 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 a fluid comprising a 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 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 a fluid comprising a drying vapor by controlling pressure in the vessel such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent 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 a fluid comprising a drying vapor by controlling the temperature of at least the organic solvent such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent 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 a fluid comprising a drying vapor by controlling the temperature of at least the fluid such that substantially no liquid droplets of the organic solvent 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 further comprising the step of purging the vessel of the fluid comprising the drying vapor with an inert gas.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of purging comprises purging the vessel of the fluid comprising the drying vapor 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 an organic solvent comprising an alcohol.

24. A method of treating a semiconductor wafer having one or more surfaces, comprising:

placing the semiconductor wafer in a vessel;

introducing an organic photoresist stripping solvent into the vessel;

contacting the surfaces of the semiconductor wafer with the organic photoresist stripping solvent; and

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

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of introducing the organic photoresist stripping solvent comprises introducing an organic photoresist stripping solvent comprising N-methyl pyrrolidone.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of removing the organic photoresist stripping solvent comprises directly displacing the organic photoresist stripping solvent from the surfaces of the semiconductor wafer with a fluid comprising a drying vapor, wherein the drying vapor comprises isopropyl alcohol or acetone.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of purging the vessel of the fluid comprising the drying vapor with an inert gas.