Substrate brush scrubbing and proximity cleaning-drying sequence using compatible chemistries, and method, apparatus, and system for implementing the same

• US 7,045,018 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: de Larios, John M., Ravkin, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US10/816,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20050155629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 15/77, 134/6, 134/26, 134/32, 134/33, 134/42
• US Class Current: 134/6
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67046 using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A method for cleaning and drying a front and a back surface of a substrate is provided. The method includes brush scrubbing the back surface of the substrate using a brush scrubbing fluid chemistry. The method further includes applying a front meniscus onto the front surface of the substrate upon completing the brush scrubbing of the back surface. The front meniscus includes a front cleaning chemistry that is chemically compatible with the brush scrubbing fluid chemistry.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning and drying a front and a back surface of a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

brush scrubbing the back surface of the semiconductor substrate using a brush scrubbing chemistry;

forming a front fluid meniscus with the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and a back fluid meniscus with the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the forming of the front and the back fluid menisci being performed after the brush scrubbing of the back surface; and

scanning the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the back surface of the semiconductor substrate by moving the front meniscus along the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the back fluid meniscus along the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the front and back fluid menisci being formed using a chemistry that is compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry,

wherein scanning the front surface of the substrate and the back surface of the substrate is configured to clean and dry the front surface of the substrate and the back surface of the substrate.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the chemistry included in the front meniscus being compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry prevents chemical contamination of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming the front fluid meniscus and the back fluid meniscus is configured to occur simultaneously.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of scanning the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the back surface of the semiconductor substrate is configured to occur synchronously.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the front fluid meniscus and the back fluid meniscus includes isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor, nitrogen, organic compounds, hexanol, ethylglycol, or compounds mixable with water.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein chemical contamination causes particulate contaminants or undesirable etching of the semiconductor substrate front surface.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein a chemistry of the front fluid meniscus includes a front cleaning chemistry and a chemistry of the back fluid meniscus includes a back cleaning chemistry.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the brush scrubbing chemistry includes hydrofluoric acid.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the front cleaning chemistry includes hydrofluoric acid.

10. A method for preparing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

brush scrubbing a back surface of the semiconductor substrate using a brush scrubbing chemistry;

upon completing the brush scrubbing of the back surface, applying a front fluid meniscus onto a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, the front fluid meniscus being formed using a front cleaning chemistry, the front cleaning chemistry being chemically compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry; and

scanning the front surface of the semiconductor substrate by moving the front meniscus along the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, the method further comprising:

applying a back fluid meniscus onto the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the back fluid meniscus being formed using a back cleaning chemistry, the back cleaning chemistry being chemically compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the front chemistry is configured to be compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry so as to prevent chemical contamination of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, the method further comprising:

scanning the back surface of the semiconductor substrate by moving the back fluid meniscus along the back surface of the semiconductor substrate.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein chemical contamination causes particulate contaminants.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein scanning the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the back surface of the semiconductor substrate is configured to occur synchronously.

16. A method for preparing a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

brush scrubbing a back surface of the semiconductor substrate using a brush scrubbing chemistry;

upon completing the brush scrubbing of the back surface, applying a front fluid meniscus onto a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, the front fluid meniscus being formed using a front cleaning chemistry, the front cleaning chemistry being chemically compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry so as to prevent chemical contamination of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate,

wherein the brush scrubbing chemistry includes hydrofluoric acid and the front cleaning chemistry includes hydrofluoric acid; and

scanning the front surface the semiconductor substrate moving the front meniscus along the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising:

applying a back fluid meniscus onto the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the back fluid meniscus being formed using a back cleaning chemistry, the back cleaning chemistry being chemically compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, the method further comprising:

scanning the back surface of the semiconductor substrate by moving the back meniscus along the back surface of the semiconductor substrate.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the back chemistry of the back fluid meniscus is configured to be compatible with the brush scrubbing chemistry so as to prevent chemical contamination of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate.