Megasonic precision cleaning of semiconductor process equipment components and parts

• US 8,327,861 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Yin, Yaobo, Jiang, Linda (Tong)
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTERHOUT, BENJAMIN LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/642,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 134/95.1, 134/105, 134/111, 134/184, 134/186, 134/198, 134/902, 134/94.1
• US Class Current: 134/95.1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0288 Ultra or megasonic jets
• 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 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67057 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67086 with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for using various megasonic apparatus including megasonic tanks, scanning megasonic plates, megasonic jets, and megasonic sweeping beams etc., in combination with selective chemistries to remove sub-micron particulate contaminants from the surfaces of the processing equipment used in semiconductor, medical, or any other processing environments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a processing component, comprising:

a tank having a cavity defined by a base and one or more sidewalls extending therefrom, an opening opposite the base, and a closure coupled to the opening, the tank being configured to hold a volume of fluid within the cavity to immerse the processing component;

a plate assembly is coupled to a support structure that is located proximal to the opening of the tank and extends into the volume of fluid within the cavity, wherein the plate assembly is configured to move in a scanning motion along a horizontal plane located proximal to the opening and inside the closure of the tank, such that the plate assembly is movable over a surface of the processing component when present in the cavity of the tank, and wherein the plate assembly itself includes a transducer element and a resonator element, such that high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is generated by the plate assembly that is adjustable to a plurality of directions, certain ones of the plurality of directions of the plate assembly having orientation settings to a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the processing component, for a surface location and surface configuration of the processing component;

a carrier element, wherein the carrier element is defined to support the processing component within the cavity of the tank, the carrier element having a mechanism for flipping the processing component during cleaning;

wherein the processing component is a semiconductor device processing component and is not a semiconductor wafer.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more megasonic transducers coupled to at least one of the one or more sidewalls, wherein the one or more megasonic transducers coupled to at least one of the one more sidewalls generate megasonic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to a second surface of the processing component.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more megasonic transducers coupled to the base, wherein the one or more megasonic transducers coupled to the base generates megasonic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to a third surface of the processing component.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second plate assembly, where the second plate assembly is coupled to the base of the tank, the second plate assembly is movable over a second surface of the processing component that is generally opposite the surface of the processing component, and the second plate assembly generates acoustic energy associated with a direction generally perpendicular to the second surface of the processing component.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein moving over the surface of the processing component includes a forward, a backward, a lateral, an angular, or a circular scanning motion.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is deionized water.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is an aqueous alkali solution, an aqueous acidic solution, a neutral surfactant solution, an acidic surfactant solution, a basic surfactant solution, an aqueous surfactant solution, or a mixture of organic solvent and water.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the aqueous alkali solution is NH₄OH+H₂O₂+H₂O.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the aqueous acidic solution is HCI+H₂O₂+H₂O, HF+H₂O₂+H₂O.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is heated.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is re-circulated using in-situ filtration.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid is one of a sequence of fluids, the sequence of fluids being selectively added within the cavity of the tank to optimize cleaning of the surface.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is energy having a frequency of 600 KHz to 2 MHz.

14. An apparatus for cleaning a processing tool part used in the processing of semiconductor wafers, comprising:

a tank having a cavity defined by a base and one or more sidewalls extending therefrom, an opening opposite the base, and a closure coupled to the opening, the tank being configured to hold a volume of fluid within the cavity to immerse the processing tool part;

inside the cavity, the sidewalls including one or more megasonic transducers;

a plate assembly is coupled to a support structure that is located proximal to the opening of the tank and extends into the cavity, wherein the plate assembly is movable along a horizontal plane located proximal to the opening and inside the closure of the tank, such that the plate assembly is movable over a surface of the processing tool part when present in the cavity of the tank, and wherein the plate assembly itself includes a transducer element and a resonator element, such that high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is generated by the plate assembly that is adjustable to a plurality of directions, certain ones of the plurality of directions of the plate assembly having orientation settings to a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the processing component, for a surface location and surface configuration of the processing component; and

a carrier element, wherein the carrier element supports the processing tool part within the cavity of the tank, the carrier element having a mechanism for flipping the processing component during cleaning, the processing tool part not being a semiconductor wafer.

15. An apparatus for cleaning a processing tool part used in the processing of semiconductor wafers, comprising:

a tank having a cavity defined by a base and one or more sidewalls extending therefrom, an opening opposite the base, and a closure coupled to the opening, the tank being configured to hold a volume of fluid within the cavity to immerse the processing tool part;

inside the cavity, the sidewalls including one or more megasonic transducers;

a top plate assembly is coupled to a support structure that is located proximal to the opening of the tank and extends into the cavity, wherein the top plate assembly is movable along a horizontal plane located proximal to the opening and inside the closure of the tank, such that the top plate assembly is movable over a surface of the processing tool part when present in the cavity of the tank, and wherein the top plate assembly itself includes a transducer element and a resonator element, such that high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is generated by the top plate assembly that is adjustable to a plurality of directions, certain ones of the plurality of directions of the plate assembly having orientation settings to a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the processing tool part, for a surface location and surface configuration of the processing tool part;

a bottom plate assembly coupled to the base of the tank, the bottom plate assembly is movable along a horizontal plane located proximal to the base of the tank, such that the bottom plate assembly is movable under a surface of the processing tool part when present in the cavity of the tank, wherein the bottom plate assembly itself includes a transducer element and a resonator element, such that high frequency megasonic acoustic energy is generated by the bottom plate assembly and is associated with a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the processing tool part; and

a carrier element, wherein the carrier element provides support for the processing tool part within the cavity of the tank, the carrier element having a mechanism for flipping the processing tool part during cleaning, and the processing tool part is not a semiconductor wafer.