Substrate treatment apparatus and substrate treatment method

• US 7,494,549 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Eitoku, Atsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Markoff; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/631,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 134/26, 134/30, 134/34, 134/36, 134/37, 134/902, 134/94.1, 134/95.1, 134/95.3, 134/102.1, 134/102.2, 134/103.2, 134/1.3, 134/1
• US Class Current: 134/26
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/005 the liquid being ozonated
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0288 Ultra or megasonic jets
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/18 for etching copper or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02052 Wet cleaning only H01L21/02085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6708 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A substrate treatment apparatus for removing an unnecessary substance from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus is provided with: an oxidation liquid supply mechanism for supplying an oxidation liquid having an oxidative effect to the substrate surface; a physical cleaning mechanism for physically cleaning the substrate surface; and an etching liquid supply mechanism for supplying an etching liquid having an etching effect to the substrate surface. It is preferred to physically clean the substrate surface while supplying the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface.

Claims

1. A substrate treatment apparatus for removing an unnecessary substance from a surface of a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

an oxidation liquid supply mechanism including an oxidation liquid nozzle for supplying an oxidation liquid having an oxidative effect to the substrate surface;

a physical cleaning mechanism including a dual fluid spray nozzle generating a jet flow of droplets of a deionized water and supplying the jet flow to the substrate surface, the dual fluid spray nozzle having a deionized water outlet port ejecting the deionized water towards the surface of the substrate and a gas outlet port blowing a gas onto the deionized water ejected through the deionized water outlet port, the dual fluid spray nozzle being provided separately from the oxidation liquid nozzle;

an etching liquid supply mechanism including an etching liquid nozzle for supplying an etching liquid having an etching effect to the substrate surface; and

a cleaning controller programmed to control the oxidation liquid supply mechanism and the physical cleaning mechanism, to generate and supply the jet flow of droplets of the deionized water to the substrate surface from the dual fluid spray nozzle simultaneously with supplying the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface from the oxidation liquid nozzle for a period of time, so as to perform physical cleaning of the substrate surface while simultaneously supplying said oxidation liquid to the substrate surface.

2. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the physical cleaning mechanism further includes an ultrasonic mechanism for imparting ultrasonic vibration to a treatment liquid supplied or to be supplied to the substrate surface.

3. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the oxidation liquid supply mechanism supplies a treatment liquid comprising ozone water as the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface from the oxidation liquid nozzle.

4. A substrate treatment apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the oxidation liquid supply mechanism supplies a treatment liquid comprising hydrogen peroxide as the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface from the oxidation liquid nozzle.

5. A substrate treatment method for removing an unnecessary substance from a surface of a substrate, the substrate treatment method comprising the steps of:

supplying an oxidation liquid from an oxidation liquid nozzle, the oxidation liquid having an oxidative effect to the substrate surface for oxidizing metal impurities on the substrate surface;

generating a jet flow of droplets of a deionized water by ejecting the deionized water towards the surface of the substrate through a deionized water outlet port of a dual fluid spray nozzle and blowing a gas through a gas outlet port of the dual fluid spray nozzle onto the deionized water ejected through the deionized water outlet port, the dual fluid spray nozzle being provided separately from the oxidation liquid nozzle;

physically cleaning the substrate surface by supplying the generated jet flow of droplets of the deionized water to the substrate surface from the dual fluid spray nozzle; and

supplying an etching liquid having an etching effect to the substrate surface for etching the substrate surface after the oxidation step and the physical cleaning step,

wherein the supplying of the generated jet flow of droplets of the deionized water from the dual fluid spray nozzle is carried out simultaneously with the supplying of the oxidation liquid from the oxidation liquid nozzle for a period of time, so as to perform physical cleaning of the substrate surface while simultaneously supplying said oxidation liquid to the substrate surface.

6. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the oxidation step, the physical cleaning step and the etching step are repeated a plurality of times.

7. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the etching step is carried out for a period sufficient to etch away the metal impurities oxidized in the oxidation step.

8. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said oxidation liquid contains ozone water.

9. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said oxidation liquid further contains an additive selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and an organic acid.

10. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said oxidation liquid contains hydrogen peroxide.

11. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said oxidation liquid is SC-1 or SC-2.

12. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said oxidation liquid further contains an additive selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and an organic acid.

13. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said etching liquid contains HF.

14. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said etching liquid further contains HCl or H₂O₂.

15. A substrate treatment method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said etching liquid contains NH₄OH or SC-1.