IP Library Granted Patent US 11,837,510
Granted Patent B2
US 11,837,510 · App. 17/043,964 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Method for analyzing silicon substrate

Inventors: Jiahong Wu (Tokyo, JP); Katsuhiko Kawabata (Tokyo, JP); Mitsumasa Ikeuchi (Tokyo, JP); Sungjae Lee (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
H01L22/10C30B29/06C30B33/08G01N27/62H01L21/0262H01L21/32134
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,837,510
App. No.
17/043,964
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a method for analyzing a silicon substrate, by which impurities such as a very small amount of metal in a silicon substrate provided with a thick nitride film can be analyzed with high accuracy with ICP-MS, and is characterized by use of a silicon substrate analysis apparatus including an analysis scan port having a load port, a substrate conveyance robot, an aligner, a drying chamber, a vapor phase decomposition chamber, an analysis stage and a nozzle for analysis of a substrate; an analysis liquid collection unit; and an analyzer for performing inductive coupling plasma analysis.

Claims (38)

1. A method for analyzing a silicon substrate by use of a silicon substrate analysis apparatus comprising: an analysis scan port having a load port for installing a storage cassette storing a silicon substrate to be analyzed, a substrate conveyance robot capable of drawing, conveying and installing the silicon substrate stored in the load port, an aligner for adjusting a position of the silicon substrate, a drying chamber for drying the silicon substrate by heating, a vapor phase decomposition chamber for etching the silicon substrate with an etching gas, an analysis stage on which the silicon substrate is placed, and a nozzle for analysis of a substrate for scanning with an analysis liquid a surface of the silicon substrate placed on the analysis stage, and recovering the analysis liquid into which an analysis target has been transferred; an analysis liquid collection unit having an analysis container to be charged with the analysis liquid recovered through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; a nebulizer for suctioning the analysis liquid put in the analysis container; and an analyzer for performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid supplied from the nebulizer,

the silicon substrate having a nitride film formed thereon,

wherein the method comprising the steps of:

conveying the silicon substrate drawn from the load port by the substrate conveyance robot to the vapor phase decomposition chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the vapor phase decomposition chamber, and

subjecting the silicon substrate to vapor phase decomposition treatment with an etching gas in the vapor phase decomposition chamber; conveying the silicon substrate subjected to vapor phase decomposition treatment to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, scanning the surface of the silicon substrate with a recovery liquid, which is a mixed liquid of hydrofluoric acid with a concentration of 1 mass % to 10 mass % and hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 1 mass % to 30 mass %, recovering the recovery liquid, and discharging the recovered recovery liquid to the surface of the silicon substrate, through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate;

then conveying the silicon substrate, to which the recovery liquid is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and drying the silicon substrate by heating;

conveying the heated and dried silicon substrate to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and discharging a strong acid solution or a strong alkali solution to the surface of the silicon substrate through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate;

conveying the silicon substrate, to which the strong acid solution or the strong alkali solution is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and drying the silicon substrate by heating; and

conveying the silicon substrate dried by heating to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and scanning the surface of the silicon substrate with the analysis liquid through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; and performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid into which the analysis target is transferred.

2. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the strong acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, and the strong alkali is potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide.

3. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 2 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

4. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

5. A method for analyzing a silicon substrate by use of a silicon substrate analysis apparatus comprising: an analysis scan port having a load port for installing a storage cassette storing a silicon substrate to be analyzed, a substrate conveyance robot capable of drawing, conveying and installing the silicon substrate stored in the load port, an aligner for adjusting a position of the silicon substrate, a drying chamber for drying the silicon substrate by heating, a vapor phase decomposition chamber for etching the silicon substrate with an etching gas, an analysis stage on which the silicon substrate is placed, and a nozzle for analysis of a substrate for scanning with an analysis liquid a surface of the silicon substrate placed on the analysis stage, and recovering the analysis liquid into which an analysis target is transferred; an analysis liquid collection unit having an analysis container to be charged with the analysis liquid recovered through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; a nebulizer for suctioning the analysis liquid put in the analysis container; and an analyzer for performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid supplied from the nebulizer,

the silicon substrate having a nitride film formed thereon,

wherein the method comprising the steps of:

conveying the silicon substrate drawn from the load port by the substrate conveyance robot to the vapor phase decomposition chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the vapor phase decomposition chamber, and subjecting the silicon substrate to vapor phase decomposition treatment with an etching gas in the vapor phase decomposition chamber;

conveying the silicon substrate having been subjected to vapor phase decomposition treatment to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, scanning the surface of the silicon substrate with a recovery liquid, which is a mixed liquid of hydrofluoric acid with a concentration of 1 mass % to 10 mass % and hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 1 mass % to 30 mass %, recovering the recovery liquid, and discharging the recovered recovery liquid to the surface of the silicon substrate, through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate;

then conveying the silicon substrate, to which the recovery liquid is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and heating and drying the silicon substrate;

conveying the heated and dried silicon substrate to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and discharging either a strong acid solution of an acid other than nitric acid or a strong alkali solution to the surface of the silicon substrate through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate;

conveying the silicon substrate to which the strong acid solution of an acid other than nitric acid or the strong alkali solution is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and heating and drying the silicon substrate;

subsequently conveying the heated and dried silicon substrate to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port again, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and discharging a strong acid solution or a strong alkali solution to the surface of the silicon substrate through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate;

conveying the silicon substrate, to which the strong acid solution or the strong alkali solution is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and heating and drying the silicon substrate; and

conveying the heated and dried silicon substrate to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and scanning the surface of the silicon substrate with the analysis liquid through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; and performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid into which the analysis target is transferred.

6. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 5 , wherein the strong acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, and the strong alkali is potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide.

7. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 6 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

8. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 5 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

9. A method for analyzing a silicon substrate by use of a silicon substrate analysis apparatus comprising: an analysis scan port having a load port for installing a storage cassette storing a silicon substrate to be analyzed, a substrate conveyance robot capable of drawing, conveying and installing the silicon substrate stored in the load port, an aligner for adjusting a position of the silicon substrate, a drying chamber for drying the silicon substrate by heating, a vapor phase decomposition chamber for etching the silicon substrate with an etching gas, an analysis stage on which the silicon substrate is placed, and a nozzle for analysis of a substrate for scanning with an analysis liquid a surface of the silicon substrate placed on the analysis stage, and recovering the analysis liquid into which an analysis target is transferred; an analysis liquid collection unit having an analysis container to be charged with the analysis liquid recovered through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; a nebulizer for suctioning the analysis liquid put in the analysis container; and an analyzer for performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid supplied from the nebulizer,

the silicon substrate having a nitride film formed thereon,

wherein the method comprising the steps of:

conveying the silicon substrate drawn from the load port by the substrate conveyance robot to the vapor phase decomposition chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the vapor phase decomposition chamber, and subjecting the silicon substrate to vapor phase decomposition treatment with an etching gas in the vapor phase decomposition chamber;

conveying the silicon substrate having been subjected to vapor phase decomposition treatment to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and performing first solution treatment including discharging a strong acid solution or a strong alkali solution to the surface of the silicon substrate through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate,

conveying the silicon substrate, to which the strong acid solution or the strong alkali solution has been discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and heating and drying the silicon substrate;

conveying the silicon substrate, which has been heated and dried through the first solution treatment, to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and performing second solution treatment including discharging a strong acid solution or a strong alkali solution different from that in the first solution treatment to the surface of the silicon substrate;

conveying the silicon substrate, to which the strong acid solution or the strong alkali solution different from that in the first solution treatment is discharged, to the drying chamber, installing the silicon substrate in the drying chamber, and heating and drying the silicon substrate; and

conveying the silicon substrate, which has been heated and dried through the second solution treatment, to the analysis stage of the analysis scan port, placing the silicon substrate on the analysis stage, and scanning the surface of the silicon substrate with the analysis liquid through the nozzle for analysis of a substrate; and performing inductive coupling plasma analysis on the analysis liquid into which the analysis target has been transferred.

10. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 9 , wherein the strong acid is one or more of hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, and the strong alkali is potassium hydroxide and/or sodium hydroxide.

11. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 10 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

12. The method for analyzing a silicon substrate according to claim 9 , wherein the heating temperature in the drying by heating is 100° C. to 130° C.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 15, 2026
From: IAS INC.
To: RORZE IAS INC.
Reel/Frame 074867/0402 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 24, 2025
From: IAS INC.
To: RORZE IAS INC.
Reel/Frame 073257/0472 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2020
From: WU, JIAHONG; KAWABATA, KATSUHIKO; IKEUCHI, MITSUMASA; LEE, SUNGJAE
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION; IAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053933/0696 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-077292 · Apr 13, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210118751A1 · Apr 22, 2021