Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090173718 | Method of damaged low-k dielectric film layer removal - An apparatus, system and method for removing a damaged material from a low-k dielectric film layer include identifying a control chemistry, the control chemistry configured to selectively remove the damaged material from the low-k dielectric film layer, the damaged material being in a region where a feature was formed through the low-k dielectric film layer; establishing a plurality of process parameters characterizing aspects of the damaged material to be removed and applying the control chemistry to the low-k dielectric film layer, the application of the control chemistry being defined based on the established process parameters of the damaged material, such that the damaged material is substantially removed from the areas around the feature and the areas around the feature are substantially defined by low-k characteristics of the low-k dielectric film layer. | 07-09-2009 |
20090211596 | Method of post etch polymer residue removal - A system and method for removing post-etch polymer residue from a surface of a substrate includes identifying a dry flash chemistry for removing the post-etch polymer residue from the surface of the substrate. The dry flash chemistry is configured to selectively remove the post-etch polymer residue left behind by an etch operation in a region where a feature was formed through a low-k dielectric film layer. The identified dry flash chemistry is applied using a short flash process to remove at least a portion of the post-etch polymer residue while minimizing the damage to the dielectric film layer. A wet cleaning chemistry is then applied to the surface of the substrate. The application of the wet cleaning chemistry aids in substantially removing the remaining post-etch polymer residue left behind by the short flash process. | 08-27-2009 |
20090246372 | Method of preventing premature drying - An apparatus, system and method for preventing premature drying of a surface of a substrate between fabrication operations includes receiving a substrate for cleaning, performing wet cleaning operations to the surface of the substrate to remove contaminants and fabrication chemistries left behind during one or more fabrication operations from the surface of the substrate, identifying a saturated gas chemistry and applying the identified saturated gas chemistry in a transition region such that the surface of the substrate exposed to the saturated gas chemistry in the transition region retains the moisture thereby preventing the surface of the substrate from premature drying. The saturated gas chemistry is applied between two subsequent wet-cleaning operations. | 10-01-2009 |
20100229890 | Method of Particle Contaminant Removal - Apparatus and methods for removing particle contaminants from a surface of a substrate includes coating a layer of a viscoelastic material on the surface. The viscoelastic material is coated as a thin film and exhibits substantial liquid-like characteristic. An external force is applied to a first area of the surface coated with the viscoelastic material such that a second area of the surface coated with the viscoelastic material is not substantially subjected to the applied force. The force is applied for a time duration that is shorter than a intrinsic time of the viscoelastic material so as to access solid-like characteristic of the viscoelastic material. The viscoelastic material exhibiting solid-like characteristic interacts at least partially with at least some of the particle contaminants present on the surface. The viscoelastic material along with at least some of the particle contaminants is removed from the first area of the surface while the viscoelastic material is exhibiting solid-like characteristics. | 09-16-2010 |
20100319726 | SUBSTRATE PREPARATION USING MEGASONIC COUPLING FLUID MENISCUS - A method for cleaning a substrate is provided. The method includes receiving the substrate using a carrier that forms a circular opening, the substrate being positioned in the circular opening of the carrier. The holding of the substrate enables exposure of both a first side and a second side of the substrate at a same time. Then, moving the substrate along a direction, and while moving the substrate: (i) applying a chemistry onto the first side of the substrate, where the first side of the substrate having material to be removed; (ii) forming a fluid meniscus against the second side of the substrate at a location that is opposite a location onto which the chemistry is applied; and (iii) applying megasonic energy to the fluid meniscus while the fluid meniscus is applied against the second side. The megasonic energy increases mass transport of the chemistry to enhance removal of the material to be removed from the first side. | 12-23-2010 |
20110189858 | METHOD FOR REDUCING PATTERN COLLAPSE IN HIGH ASPECT RATIO NANOSTRUCTURES - A method is provided for treating the surface of high aspect ratio nanostructures to help protect the delicate nanostructures during some of the rigorous processing involved in fabrication of semiconductor devices. A wafer containing high aspect ratio nanostructures is treated to make the surfaces of the nanostructures more hydrophobic. The treatment may include the application of a primer that chemically alters the surfaces of the nanostructures preventing them from getting damaged during subsequent wet clean processes. The wafer may then be further processed, for example a wet cleaning process followed by a drying process. The increased hydrophobicity of the nanostructures helps to reduce or prevent collapse of the nanostructures. | 08-04-2011 |
20110294301 | Method of Preventing Premature Drying - A method for processing a substrate includes receiving a substrate and processing the substrate using a first fluid meniscus and a second fluid meniscus. The first fluid meniscus and the second fluid meniscus are applied to a surface of the substrate such that the first fluid meniscus is spaced apart from the second fluid meniscus by a transition region. A saturated gas chemistry is applied to the surface of the substrate at the transition region. The saturated gas chemistry is configured to maintain moisture in the transition region so as to prevent drying of the surface of the substrate in the transition region, before the second fluid meniscus is applied to the surface of the substrate. | 12-01-2011 |
20120103371 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING A SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER - A method and apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers uses hot isopropyl alcohol in liquid form at temperatures above 60° C. and below 82° C. The use of hot IPA better avoids pattern collapse and permits reduced consumption of IPA. The wafer temperature can be maintained by applying hot deionized water to the opposite wafer side and by evaporating the hot IPA from the wafer surface using heated nitrogen gas. | 05-03-2012 |
20120115332 | Method of Post Etch Polymer Residue Removal - A method for processing a substrate includes etching a surface of the substrate using an etching chemistry in a plasma chamber, the etching configured to define one or more features on the surface of the substrate. The features have some etch polymer residues as a result of the etching. The etching is terminated. A dry flash chemistry is applied into the plasma chamber. The plasma chamber is powered for a period of time between about 5 seconds and about 10 seconds to perform a dry flash etch. During the dry flash etch, the chamber is set to a low pressure of between about 5 mTorr and about 40 mTorr. The dry flash etch acts to weaken adhesion of the etch polymer residues to the features. The substrate is moved from plasma chamber and into a wet clean chamber for cleaning which removes the etch polymer residues during fluid cleaning. | 05-10-2012 |
20140048108 | METHOD OF DIELECTRIC FILM TREATMENT - A method and system for cleaning a surface of a substrate after an etching operation includes determining a plurality of process parameters associated with the surface of the substrate. The process parameters define characteristics related to the surface of the substrate such as characteristics of the substrate surface to be cleaned, contaminants to be removed, features formed on the substrate and chemicals used in the fabrication operations. A plurality of application chemistries are identified based on the process parameters. The plurality of application chemistries includes a first application chemistry as an emulsion having a first immiscible liquid combined with a second immiscible liquid and solid particles distributed within the first immiscible liquid. The plurality of application chemistries including the first application chemistry are applied to the surface of the substrate such that the combined chemistries enhance the cleaning process by substantially removing the particulate and polymer residue contaminants from the surface of the substrate while preserving the characteristics of the features and of the low-k dielectric material through which the features are formed. | 02-20-2014 |
20140170780 | Method of Low-K Dielectric Film Repair - Methods for repairing a carbon depleted low-k material in a low-k dielectric film layer of a semiconductor wafer include providing a proximity head with a plurality of nozzles disposed on a surface of the proximity head. A repair chemistry having a hydrocarbon group is applied to a portion of the semiconductor wafer that includes carbon depleted low-k material, through the proximity head. The application is used to deliver carbon from the repair chemistry into the carbon depleted low-k material so as to cause replacement of a hydrogen ion within a hydroxyl group in the carbon depleted low-k material with carbon containing hydrocarbon group of the repair chemistry. The carbon containing hydrocarbon group forms a bond with suspended oxygen ion of the hydroxyl group thereby substantially repairing the low-k dielectric layer. The semiconductor wafer is then moved to expose other portions of the semiconductor wafer to the repair chemistry. | 06-19-2014 |