In situ vapor deposition polymerization to form polymers as precursors to viscoelastic fluids for particle removal from substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065654-B2
Application number	US-201816017445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying a vapor to a processing chamber to grow a polymer film on a substrate in the processing chamber; adding a solution to the polymer film on the substrate to create a viscoelastic fluid on the substrate; and removing the viscoelastic fluid to remove particle contaminants from the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning a substrate comprising:
supplying a vapor to a processing chamber to grow a polymer film on the substrate in the processing chamber using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD);
supplying a water vapor and optionally an additive to the processing chamber while supplying the vapor;
adding a solution to the polymer film on the substrate to create a viscoelastic fluid on the substrate; and
removing the viscoelastic fluid to remove particle contaminants from the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor further comprises at least one monomer and an initiator.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising using a source of energy to decompose the initiator.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution includes at least one of water, buffered water, an acid, a base, buffer salts and surfactants.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating a temperature differential between the substrate and other surfaces in the processing chamber while growing the polymer film,
wherein the substrate is maintained at a lower temperature than the other surfaces to promote adsorption of the polymer film on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined volume of the solution is added.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution is added to produce a final desired concentration of polymer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein after supplying the vapor and growing the polymer film and before adding the solution, moving the substrate to a second processing chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein pressure in the processing chamber is maintained at a predetermined pressure in a pressure range from 50 mTorr to 10 Torr while growing the polymer film.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying the water vapor and optionally the additive to the processing chamber after supplying the vapor.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water vapor and optionally the additive at least partially hydrate the polymer film.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the additive comprises at least one of ammonia vapor and a vapor of a volatile amine.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising agitating the substrate at least one of while supplying the solution and after supplying the solution.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the solution includes dispensing the solution onto the substrate.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a weight of the substrate while the solution is added; and
controlling addition of the solution to the substrate based on the weight.

16. The method of claim 3 , wherein the source of energy includes a heated surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heated surface comprises a wire filament.

18. A method for cleaning a substrate comprising:
supplying a vapor including at least one monomer and an initiator to a processing chamber including the substrate;
using a source of energy to trigger a reaction in the vapor and to cause a polymer film to be deposited on the substrate in the processing chamber using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD),
supplying a water vapor to the processing chamber while supplying the vapor; and
adding a solution to the polymer film on the substrate to create a viscoelastic fluid on the substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising removing the viscoelastic fluid to remove particle contaminants from the substrate.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the solution includes at least one of water, buffered water, an acid, a base, buffer salts and surfactants.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
creating a temperature differential between the substrate and other surfaces of the processing chamber while depositing the polymer film,
wherein the substrate is maintained at a lower temperature than the other surfaces to promote adsorption of the polymer film on the substrate.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, prior to adding the solution, supplying an additive to the processing chamber to modify the polymer film.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein adding the solution includes:
dispensing the solution onto the substrate;
monitoring a weight of the substrate while the solution is added; and
controlling addition of the solution to the substrate based on the weight.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the source of energy includes a heat source.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Kawaguchi Mark
• Blachut Gregory

Classifications

• H10P74/238

  comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement · CPC title

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P70/23

  during, before or after processing of insulating materials · CPC title

• H10P70/20 Primary

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• H10P14/6528

  In-situ cleaning after layer formation, e.g. removing process residues · CPC title