US5810940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for cleaning semiconductor wafers
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1996-09-17
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Granted: 1998-09-22
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Expires: 2016-09-17
Abstract
Abstract For cleaning a semiconductor wafer without exposing it to the atmosphere, after the semiconductor wafer is placed in a cleaning vessel which is filled with deionized water through a first control valve, a first cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning vessel through a second control valve so that the deionized water overflows. A second cleaning fluid is then supplied to the vessel through a third control valve such that the first cleaning fluid overflows to produce a mixed fluid containing the first cleaning fluid, thereby cleaning the semiconductor wafer therein.
Inventors
- 👤 Yuji Fukazawa
- 👤 Takahito Nakajima
- 👤 Kazuhiko Takase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:28
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P70/00; H10P70/10; H10P70/15; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cleaning the semiconductor wafer; rinsing the semiconductor wafer; the cleaning step including the steps of: supplying a second solution into a first solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first solution with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the first and second solutions, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the first mixed solution, and supplying a third solution into the first mixed solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the third solution, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the second mixed solution.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: cleaning the semiconductor wafer; rinsing the semiconductor wafer; the cleaning step including the steps of: supplying a second solution into a first solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first solution with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the first and second solutions, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the first mixed solution, and supplying a third solution into the first mixed solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the third solution, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the second mixed solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the second solution is a solution for decomposing organic matter adhered to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing a film formed by the second solution from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 2, wherein the second solution contains oxygen and the third solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 3, wherein the second solution contains one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the second solution is a solution for oxidizing the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing an oxide film covering the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 5, wherein the second solution contains oxygen and the third solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 6, wherein the second solution contains-one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the second solution is a solution for removing a natural oxide film covering the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing materials adhered to the surface of the semiconductor wafer by the second solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 8, wherein the third solution contains oxygen and the second solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein the third solution contains one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein at least the cleaning step, including the steps of supplying a second solution and supplying a third solution, is repeated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein a rinsing solution used in the rinsing step is the same solution as the first solution.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 12, wherein the rinsing solution and the first solution are deionized water.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: supplying a second solution into a first solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first solution with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the first and second solutions, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the first mixed solution, and supplying a third solution into the first mixed solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the third solution, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the second mixed solution.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: supplying a second solution into a first solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first solution with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the first and second solutions, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the first mixed solution, and supplying a third solution into the first mixed solution in which the semiconductor wafer is immersed, replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the third solution, and treating the semiconductor wafer using the second mixed solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 14, wherein the second solution is a solution for decomposing organic matter adhered to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing a film formed by the second solution from the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 15, wherein the second solution contains oxygen and the third solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 16, Wherein the second solution contains one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 14, wherein the second solution is a solution for oxidizing the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing an oxide film covering the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 18, wherein the second solution contains oxygen and the third solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 19, wherein the second solution contains one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 14, wherein the second solution is a solution for removing a natural oxide film covering the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and the third solution is a solution for removing materials adhered to the surface of the semiconductor wafer by the second solution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 21, wherein the second solution contains oxygen and the third solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 22, wherein the second solution contains one of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for continuously cleaning a semiconductor wafer by maintaining a cleaning vessel hydraulically full during each process step, comprising the steps of: supplying deionized water in the cleaning vessel to fill the cleaning vessel with the deionized water; immersing the semiconductor wafers into the deionized water in the cleaning vessel; supplying a first solution into the deionized water such that the deionized water overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the deionized water with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the deionized water and the first solution; supplying a second solution into the first mixed solution such that the first mixed solution overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the second solution; supplying deionized water into the second mixed solution such that the second mixed solution overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the second mixed solution with deionized water; and removing the semiconductor wafer from the deionized water in the cleaning vessel.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for continuously cleaning a semiconductor wafer by maintaining a cleaning vessel hydraulically full during each process step, comprising the steps of: supplying deionized water in the cleaning vessel to fill the cleaning vessel with the deionized water; immersing the semiconductor wafers into the deionized water in the cleaning vessel; supplying a first solution into the deionized water such that the deionized water overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the deionized water with a first mixed solution prepared by mixing the deionized water and the first solution; supplying a second solution into the first mixed solution such that the first mixed solution overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the first mixed solution with a second mixed solution prepared by mixing the first mixed solution and the second solution; supplying deionized water into the second mixed solution such that the second mixed solution overflows the cleaning vessel, thereby replacing the second mixed solution with deionized water; and removing the semiconductor wafer from the deionized water in the cleaning vessel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 24, wherein the first solution contains ozone.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 24, wherein the first solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 25, wherein the second solution contains hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
A semiconductor wafer surface cleaning method according to claim 26, wherein the second solution contains hydrogen peroxide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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