Patent US790183A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5498293A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5498293A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cleaning wafer substrates of metal contamination while maintaining wafer smoothness
Assignee: Avantor Performance Materials LLC
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Filing: 1994-06-23
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Granted: 1996-03-12
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Expires: 2014-06-23
Abstract
Abstract Process for cleaning wafer substrates of metal contamination while maintaining wafer smoothness by contacting the wafer substrates with a cleaning composition comprising an aqueous, metal ion-free base and an amphoteric surfactant and optionally a metal complexing agent and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph M. Ilardi
- 👤 George Schwartzkopf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:17
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D3/00; C11D3/43; H; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; C11D1/00; C11D1/88; C11D1/90; C11D1/92; C11D3/16; C11D3/26; H10P70/00; H10P70/20; H10P70/23; H10P70/234
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A process for cleaning a microelectronics wafer substrate surface to remove metal contamination and obtain an essentially oxide-free wafer surface while maintaining wafer smoothness without requiring an acid treatment step to remove oxides from the wafer substrate surface, said process comprising contacting the wafer substrate surface with an alkaline cleaning solution for a time and at a temperature sufficient to clean the wafer substrate surface, said cleaning composition comprising an aqueous, metal ion-free base and an amphoteric surfactant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for cleaning a microelectronics wafer substrate surface to remove metal contamination and obtain an essentially oxide-free wafer surface while maintaining wafer smoothness without requiring an acid treatment step to remove oxides from the wafer substrate surface, said process comprising contacting the wafer substrate surface with an alkaline cleaning solution for a time and at a temperature sufficient to clean the wafer substrate surface, said cleaning composition comprising an aqueous, metal ion-free base and an amphoteric surfactant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution comprises from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight metal ion-free base and from about 0.001% to about 10% by weight amphoteric surfactant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution comprises from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight metal ion-free base and from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight amphoteric surfactant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the metal ion-free base is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, or a tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide wherein the alkyl group is an unsubstituted alkyl group or an alkyl group substituted with a hydroxy or alkoxy radical, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the metal ion-free base is selected from the group consisting of tetramethylammonium hydroxide, tetraethylammonium hydroxide, trimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the metal ion-free base is an alkanolamine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the metal ion-free base is a guanidine compound.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaines, sulfobetaines, aminocarboxylic acid derivatives, iminodiacids, amine oxides, fluoroalkyl sulfonates, and fluorinated alkyl amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of betaines, sulfobetaines, aminocarboxylic acid derivatives, iminodiacids, amine oxides, fluoroalkyl sulfonates, and fluorinated alkyl amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl betaines, amidoalkyl betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amphoglycinates, amphopropionates, amphodiglycinates, amphodipropionates, alkoxyalkyl iminodiacids, alkoxyalkyl iminodiacids, alkyl amine oxides, alkylamido alkylamine oxides and fluorinated alkyl amphoterics.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of cocoamidopropyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl dimethyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl hydroxy sultaine, capryloamphodipropionate, cocoamidodipropionate, cocoamphopropionate, cocoamphohydroxyethyl propionate, isodecyloxypropylimino dipropionic acid, laurylimino dipropionate, cocoamidopropylamine oxide and cocoamine oxide and fluorinated alkyl amphoterics.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from capryloamphodipropionate and cocoamphohydroxyethyl propionate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution additionally comprises a metal chelating compound in an amount up to about 5% by weight and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent in an amount up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution additionally comprises a metal chelating compound in an amount up to about 5% by weight and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent in an amount up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 9 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution additionally comprises a metal chelating compound in an amount up to about 5% by weight and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent in an amount up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 11 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution additionally comprises a metal chelating compound in an amount up to about 5% by weight and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent in an amount up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 12 wherein the alkaline cleaning solution additionally comprises a metal chelating compound in an amount up to about 5% by weight and a propylene glycol ether organic solvent in an amount up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein the metal ion-free base comprises ammonium hydroxide and tetraalkylammonium hydroxide, the amphoteric surfactant comprises cocoamphohydroxyethyl propionate, the metal chelating compound comprises ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and the propylene glycol ether organic solvent comprises n-butoxypropanol.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-03-12 | 1999-09-11 | 2000-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-03-12 | 2003-09-11 | 2004-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-03-12 | 2007-09-11 | 2008-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |