Wet cleaning of electrostatic chucks

• US 7,052,553 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Shih, Hong, Morel, Bruno, Zhou, Catherine, Avoyan, Armen, Huang, Tuochuan, McMillin, Brian, Mulgrew, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US11/000,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/26, 134 27- 29, 134 30- 31, 134 34- 36, 134 41- 42
• US Class Current: 134/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6704 for wet cleaning or washing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

A non-destructive and simple method for cleaning a new or used electrostatic chuck comprises a wet cleaning process, which removes contaminants deposited on a surface of the electrostatic chuck.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning an electrostatic chuck useful for plasma etching of a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, the chuck including a ceramic surface on which the semiconductor substrate is supported during the etching, the method comprising the steps of:

a) contacting at least the ceramic surface of the chuck with isopropyl alcohol;

b) contacting at least the ceramic surface of the chuck with a dilute acidic solution comprising a hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid mixture and/or a dilute acidic solution comprising a hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide mixture;

c) contacting at least the ceramic surface of the chuck with basic solution comprising hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide; and

d) subjecting the chuck to ultrasonic cleaning;

wherein contaminants are removed from the ceramic surface of the chuck.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contaminants are selected from the group consisting of metallic impurities, organic impurities, fluoride impurities, electrode impurities, silicon particles, surface particles, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising protecting electrical contacts and exposed bonding material on the chuck by covering the electrical contacts and bonding material with masking material and/or chemical resistant tape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning comprises immersing the chuck in the isopropyl alcohol, the basic solution, and/or water during the ultrasonic cleaning.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the chuck is a used chuck previously used for supporting a semiconductor substrate during plasma etching of a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the used check and the cleaning comprises cleaning the ceramic surface with a scouring pad.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing performance of the chuck in a plasma etching chamber before and/or after the chuck has been cleaned.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the ceramic surface to determine whether contaminants are found on the ceramic surface before and/or after the cleaning.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising supporting the chuck in a fixture with the ceramic surface facing downward while wiping the ceramic surface with the dilute acidic solution and/or tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising contacting at least the ceramic surface of the chuck with a dilute acidic solution comprising a hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid mixture and a dilute acidic solution comprising a hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide mixture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) follows step a), step c) follows step b), and step d) follows step c).

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a used chuck previously used for supporting a semiconductor substrate during plasma etching of a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the used check containing fluoride impurities selected from the group consisting of aluminum fluoride, titanium fluoride, and combinations thereof on the ceramic surface, the cleaning further comprising contacting the ceramic surface of the chuck with tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide so as to remove fluoride impurities.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a new or used chuck previously used for supporting a semiconductor substrate during plasma etching of a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the used check containing organic impurities, the cleaning removing organic impurities with the isopropyl alcohol and/or the basic solution.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a new chuck containing metallic impurities selected form the group consisting of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, and combinations thereof, the cleaning removing metallic impurities with the basic solution and/or the dilute acidic solution.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a used chuck previously used for supporting a semiconductor substrate during plasma etching of a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the used check containing fluoride impurities including titanium fluoride, the cleaning removing titanium fluoride with the basic solution.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a used chuck previously used for supporting a semiconductor substrate during plasma etching of a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the used check containing silicon particles selected from the group consisting of Si, SiO₂, and combinations thereof, the cleaning removing silicon particles with the dilute acidic solution.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the chuck is a new chuck containing

electrode impurities selected from the group consisting of tungsten, phosphorus, and combinations thereof;

and

metallic impurities selected form the group consisting of iron, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, and combinations thereof;

the cleaning removing electrode and metallic impurities with the dilute acidic solution.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic cleaning removes surface particles from the ceramic surface and particles trapped inside lift pin holes and other passages in the chuck.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the scouring pad removes polymer buildup on the used chuck.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the dilute acidic solution comprises the hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid mixture, the cleaning removing silicon particles with the hydrofluoric acid.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the dilute acidic solution comprises the hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid mixture, the cleaning removing electrode and metallic impurities with the nitric acid.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the dillute acidic solution comprises the hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide mixture, the cleaning removing electrode and metallic impurities with the hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide mixture.