Method and system for making and cleaning semiconductor device

• US 8,673,764 B1
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation
• Inventors: Yuan, Zhugen
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, THANHHA S
• Application Number:
  US13/726,672
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 438/623, 438637-640, 438/672, 438/675, 438/687, 438/745, 438/754, 134/1, 134/1.3, 257/E21.575
• US Class Current: 438/623
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02063 the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76814 post-treatment or after-treatment, e.g. cleaning or removal of oxides on underlying conductors

Abstract

Various embodiments provide methods and systems for making and/or cleaning semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device can be formed including a metal layer and a photoresist polymer. During formation, the semiconductor device can be cleaned in a cleaning chamber by a first cleaning solution provided from a solution supply device. After this cleaning process, a second cleaning solution containing metal ions and/or polymer residues can be produced and processed in a solution processing device to at least partially remove the metal ions and/or polymer residues to produce a third cleaning solution for re-use. In an exemplary fabrication or cleaning system, the solution processing device may be configured connecting to either an inlet or an outlet of the cleaning chamber. After cleaning, the semiconductor device can be processed to include a metal plug or an interconnect wiring.

Claims

1. A method of making a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate including a metal layer;

forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the ILD layer is porous;

using a photoresist pattern to form a through hole in the ILD layer to expose at least a portion of the metal layer in the semiconductor substrate;

cleaning the through hole using a first cleaning solution to produce a second cleaning solution containing one or more of metal ions and polymer residues;

removing the one or more of the metal ions and the polymer residues from the second cleaning solution; and

filling the through hole with a metal to form a metal plug or an interconnect wiring.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

forming the photoresist pattern on the ILD layer;

using the photoresist pattern as a mask to form the through hole in the ILD layer; and

removing the photoresist pattern after forming the through hole and prior to cleaning the through hole.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

producing a third cleaning solution after removing the one or more of the metal ions and the polymer residues from the second cleaning solution; and

using the third cleaning solution in a cleaning process to clean a second semiconductor device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing of the metal ions uses an ion exchange method.

5. The method of claim 4, further including using an ion exchange resin to replace the metal ions in the second cleaning solution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing of the metal ions uses an absorption method.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the absorption method uses an ion adsorbent including polyethylene imine, activated carbon, bacterial cell, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the through hole includes a groove, a via, or a trench.

9. A method of cleaning a semiconductor device comprising:

providing the semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate including a copper metal layer, and an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer formed of a porous material and disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the ILD layer including a through hole or a groove configured to expose at least a portion of the metal layer and the through hole or the groove including photoresist polymer residues;

using a first cleaning solution to remove the photoresist polymer residues from the semiconductor device to produce a second cleaning solution containing one or more of copper ions and polymer residues including the photoresist polymer residues;

removing the one or more of the copper ions and the polymer residues from the second cleaning solution to produce a third cleaning solution; and

re-using the third cleaning solution in a subsequent cleaning process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the removing of the copper ions uses an ion exchange method.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ion exchange method uses an ion exchange resin to replace the copper ions in the second cleaning solution.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the removing of the copper ions uses an absorption method.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the absorption method uses polyethylene imine, activated carbon, bacterial cell, or a combination thereof.