Method and device for cleaning substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12032302-B2
Application number	US-202117367835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device a semiconductor wafer is retrieved from a load port. The semiconductor wafer is transferred to a treatment device. In the treatment device, the surface of the semiconductor wafer is exposed to a directional stream of plasma wind to clean a particle from the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The stream of plasma wind is generated by an ambient plasma generator and is directed at an oblique angle with respect to a perpendicular plane to the surface of the semiconductor wafer for a predetermined plasma exposure time. After the cleaning, a photo resist layer is disposed on the semiconductor wafer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor circuit, comprising:
retrieving a semiconductor wafer via a load port;
transferring the semiconductor wafer to a treatment device;
cleaning a particle from a surface of the semiconductor wafer in the treatment device by exposing the surface of the semiconductor wafer to a directional stream of plasma wind, generated by an ambient plasma generator, at an oblique angle with respect to a perpendicular plane to the surface of the semiconductor wafer for a predetermined plasma exposure time to remove the particle from the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and
after the cleaning, disposing a photo resist layer on the semiconductor wafer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to the cleaning, inspecting the surface of the semiconductor wafer;
generating a map of one or more particles on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the map includes particle locations; and
consecutively cleaning the one or more particles from the surface of the semiconductor wafer in the treatment device, by moving the semiconductor wafer according to the map.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the map includes particle sizes, the method further comprising:
adjusting a speed of the directional stream of plasma wind based on particle size.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
adjusting a width of an output opening of an output port of the ambient plasma generator to adjust the speed of the directional stream of plasma wind.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
directing a gas flow of argon into the ambient plasma generator to generate the directional stream of plasma wind.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising;
imaging the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate an image of the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and
analyzing the generated image of the surface of the semiconductor wafer to generate the map.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
for each particle, repeating the cleaning, the inspecting, the imaging, and the analyzing, until the particle is removed;
determining a total time of cleaning for each particle;
determining a size of each particle; and
determining the total time of cleaning as the predetermined plasma exposure time associated with the size of the particle.

8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor circuit, comprising:
cleaning a particle from a surface of a reticle in a treatment device by exposing the surface of the reticle to a directional stream of plasma wind, generated by an ambient plasma generator, at an oblique angle with respect to a perpendicular plane to the surface of the reticle for a predetermined plasma exposure time to remove the particle from the surface of the reticle;
after the cleaning, transferring the reticle from the treatment device to an exposure device for lithography operation; and
projecting a layout pattern of the reticle using an incident extreme UV (EUV) radiation of an EUV source of the exposure device onto a photo resist layer of a wafer.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
directing a gas flow of helium into the ambient plasma generator to generate the directional stream of plasma wind.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cleaning the surface of the reticle comprises:
cleaning a first region of two or more non-overlapping regions on the surface of the reticle in the treatment device by exposing the first region of the two or more non-overlapping regions on the surface of the reticle to the directional stream of plasma wind at the oblique angle for the predetermined plasma exposure time, wherein each non-overlapping region comprises one or more particles; and
repeat the cleaning on a second region of the two or more non-overlapping regions on the surface of the reticle to clean an entire surface of the reticle.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
applying a high intensity electric field to the gas flow of helium inside the ambient plasma generator to generate the directional stream of plasma wind.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
adjusting a width of an output opening of an output port of the ambient plasma generator to adjust a speed and angle of the directional stream of plasma wind.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
adjusting the oblique angle of the directional stream of plasma wind between 30 degrees and 80 degrees with respect to the perpendicular plane to the surface of the reticle to drive the particle off the surface of the reticle.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
adjusting the width of the output opening of the output port of the ambient plasma generator between 100 microns and 5 mm to adjust the angle and speed of the directional stream of plasma wind.

15. A semiconductor manufacturing system, comprising:
a main controller;
an analyzer module coupled to the main controller;
a wafer exchange device having an extendable robot arm;
a treatment device comprising:
a first stage configured to mount a reticle or a wafer; and
an ambient plasma generator; and

an exposure device comprising:
a second stage configured to mount the reticle;
an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source; and
a third stage configured to hold the wafer;

the main controller is configured to command the ambient plasma generator to direct a directional stream of plasma wind in a direction of the first stage to clean a particle from a surface of the reticle or the wafer that is mounted on the first stage of the treatment device for a predetermined plasma exposure time to remove the particle from the surface of the reticle or the wafer; and
after the cleaning, the main controller is configured to command the wafer exchange device to transfer the reticle or the wafer, by the extendable robot arm, from the treatment device to the exposure device for lithography operation.

16. The semiconductor manufacturing system of claim 15 , the treatment device further comprising:
a hinged wall coupled to a wind angle controller at an output opening of an output port of the ambient plasma generator, wherein the wind angle controller is configured to rotate the hinged wall to change a direction and speed of the directional stream of plasma wind.

17. The semiconductor manufacturing system of claim 16 , wherein the treatment device further comprises:
a scanning-imaging device, wherein in response to a command from the main controller the first stage is configured to move under the scanning-imaging device and the scanning-imaging device is configured to capture an image of the surface of the reticle or the wafer and to transfer the captured image to the analyzer module,
wherein the analyzer module is configured to determine a map of particles on the surface of the wafer or the reticle.

18. The semiconductor manufacturing system of claim 16 , wherein the ambient plasma generator further comprises:
a channel surrounded by a body; and
positive and negative electrodes in the body and attached to or included in a wall of the channel, wherein the positive and negative electrodes are configured to generate a high intensity electric field inside the channel to produce plasma in gas flow that passes through the channel.

19. The semiconductor manufacturing system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a reticle library, wherein prior to directing the directional stream of plasma wind to the surface of the reticle, the main controller is configured to send a command to the wafer exchange devic

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Chung-Hsuan
• Lin Chen-Yang
• Sung Ku-Hsiang
• Yu da-wei
• Lin Kuan-Wen
• Chen Chia-Jen
• Lee Hsin-Chang

Classifications

• H10P74/203

  Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects · CPC title

• H10P70/20 Primary

  Cleaning during device manufacture · CPC title

• 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

• H10P72/0616

  Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0414

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title