Semiconductor processing tool and methods of operation
A semiconductor processing tool includes a cleaning chamber configured to perform a post-chemical mechanical polishing/planarization (post-CMP) cleaning operation in an oxygen-free (or in a near oxygen-free) manner. An inert gas may be provided into the cleaning chamber to remove oxygen from the cleaning chamber such that the post-CMP cleaning operation may be performed in an oxygen-free (or in a near oxygen-free) environment. In this way, the post-CMP cleaning operation may be performed in an environment that may reduce oxygen-causing corrosion of metallization layers and/or metallization structures on and/or in the semiconductor wafer, which may increase semiconductor processing yield, may decrease semiconductor processing defects, and/or may increase semiconductor processing quality, among other examples.
1 . A method, comprising:
transferring via an opening in a side of a hermetically sealed enclosure of a chamber, a semiconductor wafer into the chamber and onto a stage in the hermetically sealed enclosure;
providing, via one or more nozzles of the chamber, an inert gas to purge oxygen from the chamber to reduce oxygen concentration to be at or below a threshold oxygen concentration,
wherein the one or more nozzles comprises:
a first nozzle and a second nozzle, of the hermetically sealed enclosure, configured to provide the inert gas at different directions onto a wafer stage, or
a third nozzle, of a cleaning head of the chamber, configured to provide the inert gas onto the wafer stage; and
performing, after removing oxygen from the chamber, a cleaning operation in the chamber.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first nozzle and the second nozzle are on a first same side of the hermetically sealed enclosure.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more nozzles comprises the third nozzle and a fourth nozzle, wherein the third nozzle and the fourth nozzle are on a second same side of the hermetically sealed enclosure and are configured to provide the inert gas at different directions onto the wafer stage.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first same side is opposite to the second same side.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first same side is adjacent to the second same side.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head is located above the wafer stage.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the cleaning operation in the chamber comprises:
rotating a brush against the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage in the chamber.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the cleaning operation in the chamber comprises:
dispensing, via the third nozzle, a cleaning agent onto the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage.
9 . A method, comprising:
performing a chemical-mechanical polishing/planarization (CMP) operation to planarize one or more metallization layers of a semiconductor wafer in a first chamber;
transferring, via an opening in a side of a hermetically sealed enclosure of a second chamber, the semiconductor wafer into the second chamber and onto a stage in the hermetically sealed enclosure;
removing, via a first set of nozzles of the second chamber, oxygen from the second chamber;
performing, after removing oxygen from the second chamber and using a first cleaning mechanism, a first cleaning operation on the semiconductor wafer in the second chamber;
transferring the semiconductor wafer to a third chamber;
removing, via a second set of nozzles of the third chamber, oxygen from the third chamber; and
performing, after removing oxygen from the third chamber and using a second cleaning mechanism different from the first cleaning mechanism, a second cleaning operation on the semiconductor wafer in the third chamber.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of:
the first set of nozzles comprises:
a first nozzle configured to provide an inert gas at a diagonal or angular direction with respect to the second chamber, and
a second nozzle configured to provide the inert gas at a downward or vertical direction with respect the second chamber or the third chamber, or
the second set of nozzles comprises:
a third nozzle configured to provide the inert gas at a diagonal or angular direction with respect to at least one of the second chamber or the third chamber, and
a fourth nozzle configured to provide the inert gas at a downward or vertical direction with respect to at least one of the second chamber or the third chamber.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
the first nozzle and the second nozzle are on a same side of the second chamber, and
the third nozzle and the fourth nozzle are on a same side of the third chamber.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
the first nozzle and the second nozzle are on different sides of the second chamber, and
the third nozzle and the fourth nozzle are on a same side of the third chamber.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of:
the first set of nozzles comprises a single nozzle of a cleaning head of the second chamber, or
the second set of nozzles comprises the single nozzle.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first cleaning mechanism or the second cleaning mechanism is a brush configured to rotate against the semiconductor wafer.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first cleaning mechanism or the second cleaning mechanism is a cleaning pen configured to dispense a liquid onto the semiconductor wafer.
16 . A chamber, comprising:
an enclosure comprising an opening, at a side of the enclosure, to receive a semiconductor wafer;
a wafer stage, in the enclosure, configured to support the semiconductor wafer;
one or more nozzles comprising:
a first nozzle and a second nozzle, of the enclosure, configured to provide inert gas at different directions onto the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage, or
a third nozzle, of a cleaning head of the chamber, configured to provide the inert gas onto the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage; and
a controller configured to cause the one or more nozzles to be provided into the chamber to reduce oxygen concentration to be at or below a threshold oxygen concentration.
17 . The chamber of claim 16 , further comprising:
a brush configured to spin and/or rotate against the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage.
18 . The chamber of claim 16 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a cleaning pen configured to dispense a cleaning agent against the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage.
19 . The chamber of claim 18 , wherein the cleaning pen comprises a plurality of inlets connected to the third nozzle, wherein the plurality of inlets comprises a first inlet for receiving the inert gas, and a second inlet for receiving the cleaning agent.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head further comprises a cleaning pen configured to mechanically or physically clean the semiconductor wafer positioned on the wafer stage.