IP Library Granted Patent US 8,420,549
Granted Patent B2
US 8,420,549 · App. 12/954,207 · Granted Apr 16, 2013

Etching and cleaning methods and etching and cleaning apparatuses used therefor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,420,549
App. No.
12/954,207
Granted
Apr 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor wafer having a device area, an end face, and a surface peripheral area located outside the device area and between the end face and the device area. Forming a Cu layer on the semiconductor wafer and rotating the wafer in a horizontal plane. Emitting a first liquid from an edge nozzle towards the surface peripheral area which selectively removes a first unnecessary material in the surface peripheral area. Emitting a protecting liquid toward the semiconductor wafer, thereby protecting the device area from the first liquid. An angle of a longitudinal axis of the edge nozzle with respect to a tangent of the semiconductor wafer at a point, where the longitudinal axis of the edge nozzle intersects the end face of the wafer, is set in the range of 0 to 90 degrees in plan view.

Claims (35)

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

preparing a semiconductor wafer, said semiconductor wafer having a device area, an end face and a surface peripheral area on its surface, said surface peripheral area being located outside said device area and between the device area and the end face;

forming a Cu layer on said semiconductor wafer;

rotating said semiconductor wafer in a horizontal plane; and

emitting a first etching liquid toward a surface peripheral area of said wafer by an edge nozzle, thereby selectively etching out a first unnecessary material existing in said surface peripheral area,

wherein a protecting liquid is emitted toward said semiconductor wafer by a surface nozzle, thereby protecting said device area of said semiconductor wafer against said first etching liquid,

wherein an angle of a longitudinal axis of said edge nozzle with respect to a tangent of said semiconductor wafer at a point where said longitudinal axis of said edge nozzle intersects the end face of said semiconductor wafer, is set as a value in the range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees in plan view.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal axis has a direction oriented along an emission direction of said etching liquid, and said tangent has a direction oriented along a rotation direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said edge nozzle is placed over said semiconductor wafer so as to overlap said semiconductor wafer.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a second etching liquid is emitted toward a back of said semiconductor wafer by a back nozzle, thereby etching out a second unnecessary material existing on said back of said wafer.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first etching liquid emitted from said edge nozzle is beam-shaped.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an acid or an alkali solution containing H 2 O 2 is used as said first etching liquid.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first unnecessary material is Cu.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said first etching liquid is one selected from the group consisting of FPM (HF/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), SPM (H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), HPM (HCl/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), water solution of nitric hydrogen peroxide (HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), APM (NH 4 OH/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), and 30-80% concentrated nitric acid (HNO 3 ).

9. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said second unnecessary material is Cu.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said second etching liquid is one selected from the group consisting of FPM (HF/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), SPM (H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), HPM (HCl/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), water solution of nitric hydrogen peroxide (HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), APM (NH 4 OH/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), and 30-80% concentrated nitric acid (HNO 3 ).

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a pure water or a water solution of organic acid is used as said protecting liquid.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said water solution of organic acid is a water solution of one selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, citric acid, and malonic acid.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

preparing a semiconductor wafer, said semiconductor wafer having a device area, an end face and a surface peripheral area on its surface, said surface peripheral area being located outside said device area and between device area and the end face;

forming a Cu layer on said semiconductor wafer;

performing chemical mechanical polishing so as to remove part of said Cu layer;

rotating said semiconductor wafer in a horizontal plane; and

emitting a first cleaning liquid toward a surface peripheral area of said semiconductor wafer by an edge nozzle, thereby selectively removing a first residue of Cu existing in said surface peripheral area,

wherein a protecting liquid is emitted toward said semiconductor wafer by a surface nozzle, thereby protecting said device area of said semiconductor wafer against said first cleaning liquid,

wherein an angle of a longitudinal axis of said edge nozzle with respect to a tangent of said semiconductor wafer at a point, where said longitudinal axis of said edge nozzle intersects the end face of said semiconductor wafer, is set as a value in the range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees in plan view.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said longitudinal axis has a direction oriented along an emission direction of said cleaning liquid, and said tangent has a direction oriented along a rotation direction.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said edge nozzle is placed over said semiconductor wafer so as to overlap said semiconductor wafer.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a second cleaning liquid is emitted toward a back of said semiconductor wafer by a back nozzle, thereby removing a second residue of Cu existing on a back of said wafer.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said first cleaning liquid emitted from said edge nozzle is beam-shaped.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein an acid or an alkali solution containing H 2 O 2 is used as said first cleaning liquid.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said first cleaning liquid is one selected from the group consisting of FPM (HF/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), SPM (H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), HPM (HCl/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), water solution of nitric hydrogen peroxide (HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), APM (NH 4 OH/H 2 O/H 2 O), and 30-80% concentrated nitric acid (HNO 3 ).

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said second cleaning liquid is one selected from the group consisting of FPM (HF/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), SPM (H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), HPM (HCl/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), water solution of nitric hydrogen peroxide (HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), APM (NH 4 OH/H 2 O 2 /H 2 O), and 30-80% concentrated nitric acid (HNO 3 ).

21. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a pure water or a water solution of organic acid is used as said protecting liquid.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said water solution of organic acid is a water soluble of one selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, citric acid, and malonic acid; and wherein said solution of organic acid has a concentration of 0.001% to 5%.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2020
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: TESSERA, INC.; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (F/K/A ZIPTRONIX, INC.); FOTONATION CORPORATION (F/K/A DIGITALOPTICS CORPORATION AND F/K/A DIGITALOPTICS CORPORATION MEMS); INVENSAS CORPORATION; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC; DTS, INC.; DTS LLC; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052920/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2016
From: INVENSAS CORPORATION; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZIPTRONIX, INC.; DIGITALOPTICS CORPORATION; DIGITALOPTICS CORPORATION MEMS; DTS, LLC; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040797/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2014
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 032892/0212 →