Removal of CMP and post-CMP residue from semiconductors using supercritical carbon dioxide process

1. A method of post chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cleaning to remove a CMP residue from a surface of an object comprising the steps of:

a. performing a rinse process to remove at least a portion of the CMP residue from the surface of the object;

b. placing the object within a pressure chamber;

c. pressurizing the pressure chamber;

d. performing a supercritical carbon dioxide process to remove a residual CMP residue from the surface of the object, wherein performing a supercritical carbon dioxide process comprises:

i. introducing a cleaning fluid;

ii. pressurizing the pressure chamber with carbon dioxide such that the pressure chamber is at least at a supercritical pressure; and

iii. recirculating the cleaning fluid within the pressure chamber;

e. venting the pressure chamber; and

f. performing a washing process including at least one of immersion baths, megasonic baths, mechanical rollers, mechanical brush scrubbers and double-sided scrubbers, after the step of venting the pressure chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the object is a semiconductor wafer for forming integrated circuits.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the CMP residue comprises at least one of slurry particles, slurry chemicals, polishing pad materials, metal contaminants, diffusion barrier materials, substrate materials, and low-k dielectric materials.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of pressurizing the pressure chamber comprises pressurizing the pressure chamber with at least one of gaseous, liquid, supercritical and near-supercritical carbon dioxide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein recirculating the cleaning fluid within the pressure chamber comprises recirculating the cleaning fluid within the pressure chamber for a period of time to remove a residual CMP residue from the surface of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a rinse process, after the step of venting the pressure chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising performing a washing process including at least one of immersion baths, megasonic baths, mechanical rollers, mechanical brush scrubbers and double-sided scrubbers, after performing the rinse process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a cleaning chemistry.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises at least one of solvents, co-solvents, anionic, cationic and nonionic surfactants.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes at least one of slurry particles and slurry chemicals, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises benzotriazole (BTA).

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes polishing pad materials, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIX), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylacetamide (DMAc), ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonium persulfate.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes copper contaminants, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hexafluoroacetyl acetonate (HFAC), tetramethylheptane dionate (THD), cyclo octa diene (COD), ethylenediaminetetraacetatothulate (TmEDTA), nitrilotriacetate (NTA), pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA), nitric acid, and acetylacetonate (ACAC).

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes tantalum-based materials, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ferro cyanide and hexafluoroacetyl acetonate (HFAC).

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes at least one of SiO 2 F—SiO 2 , C—SiO 2 , LKD, hydrogen silsequioxane (HSQ), and methyl silsequioxane (MSQ), and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a material selected from the group consisting of HF, ammonium fluoride, and quad fluoride.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes at least one of organic polymers, and polymer-based low-k dielectric materials, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a surfactant.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the residual CMP residue includes tungsten-based materials, and wherein the cleaning chemistry comprises a material selected from the group consisting of potassium ferro cyanide, hydrogen peroxide, and perchloic acid (PCA).

17. A method of post chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cleaning to remove a CMP residue from a surface of an object comprising the steps of:

a. placing the object within a pressure chamber;

b. pressurizing the pressure chamber;

c. performing a liquid carbon dioxide process to remove a residual CMP residue from the surface of the object, wherein performing a liquid carbon dioxide process to remove a residual CMP residue from the surface of the object comprises:

i. introducing a cleaning fluid;

ii. pressurizing the pressure chamber with carbon dioxide; and

iii. recirculating the cleaning fluid within the pressure chamber;

d. venting the pressure chamber; and

e. performing a rinse process, after the step of venting the pressure chamber.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising after a CMP operation and before the step of placing the object within the pressure chamber, performing a rinse process to remove at least a portion of the CMP residue from the surface of the object.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising performing a washing process including at least one of immersion baths, megasonic baths, mechanical rollers, mechanical brush scrubbers and double-sided scrubbers, after the step of venting the pressure chamber.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising performing a washing process including at least one of immersion baths, megasonic baths, mechanical rollers, mechanical brush scrubbers and double-sided scrubbers, after performing the rinse process.