Post chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12577499-B2
Application number	US-202218066815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2022
Priority date	Jun 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

Provided are formulations that offer a high cleaning effect on inorganic particles, organic residues, chemical residues, reaction products on the surface due to interaction of the wafer surface with the Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) slurry and elevated levels of undesirable metals on the surface left on the semiconductor devices after the CMP. The post-CMP cleaning formulations comprise one or more organic acid, one or more polymer and a fluoride compound with pH <7 and optionally a surfactant with two sulfonic acid groups.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A post Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) cleaning composition consisting of:
at least one organic acid or salts thereof selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic acid, hydroxycarboxylic acid, salts thereof, and combinations thereof; a fluoride compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium fluoride, ammonium bifluoride, quaternary ammonium fluoride and combinations thereof; at least one polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid-acrylamido propane sulfonic acid copolymer and salts thereof; poly(acrylic acid) and salts thereof; poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) and salts thereof; carboxymethyl cellulose; methyl cellulose; hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose; poly-(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate); poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate); polyethylene glycol, poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) and salts thereof; polypropylene glycol; polyacrylamide; poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid) copolymer and salts thereof; and combinations thereof; and water; optionally a surfactant having two or more sulfonic acid groups; biological preservative selected from the group consisting of methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, benzisothiazolinone, and combinations thereof; and pH adjusting agent; wherein the composition has a pH of between 1 to 7.

2 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic acid or salts thereof ranges from 1 to 30 wt. %, the polymeric additive ranges from 0.1 to 3 wt. %, the fluoride compound ranges from 1 to 25 wt. %, and the post CMP cleaning composition is optionally diluted with deionized (DI) water 2 to 500 times at point of use.

3 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric additive is a polymer comprising propylene oxide.

4 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the post CMP cleaning composition comprises 0.5 to 5 wt. % oxalic acid or salts thereof, 0.5 to 5 wt. % citric acid or salts thereof, and 0.5 to 5 wt. % malonic acid or salts thereof; and 0.1 to 2 wt. % polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid-acrylamido propane sulfonic acid copolymer, poly(acrylic acid), polypropylene glycol, and combinations thereof; and 1 to 25 wt. % of fluoride compound.

5 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the post CMP cleaning composition comprises 1 to 30 wt. % citric acid or salts thereof; 0.1 to 3 wt. % polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid-acrylamido propane sulfonic acid copolymer, and polypropylene glycol; and 1 to 25 wt. % of fluoride compound.

6 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the post CMP cleaning composition comprises 0.0001 wt. % to 10 wt. % a surfactant; wherein the surfactant is stable in the composition having conductivity of ≥40 mS/cm without any turbidity or precipitation.

7 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises at least two negatively charged anionic groups.

8 . The post CMP cleaning composition of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a diphenyl disulfonic acid or its salt having a structure of

wherein R is selected from H, or a linear or branched alkyl group with carbon chain length between 1 and 20.

9 . A system for post Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) cleaning semiconductor wafer comprising at least one surface selected from the group consisting of metallic film, dielectric film, and combinations thereof, comprising
the semiconductor wafer; and the post Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) cleaning composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one surface is in touch with the post CMP cleaning composition.

10 . A method of post Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) cleaning semiconductor wafer comprising at least one surface selected from the group consisting of metallic film, dielectric film, and combinations thereof, comprising
providing the semiconductor wafer; providing the post Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) cleaning composition of claim 1 ; and cleaning the semiconductor wafer using the post CMP cleaning composition.

Assignees

• Versum Mat Us Llc

Inventors

• Tamboli Dnyanesh C

Classifications

• H10P70/277

  the processing being a planarisation of conductive layers · CPC title

• H10P70/237

  the processing being a planarisation of insulating layers · CPC title

• C11D1/02

  Anionic compounds {(C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C11D3/378

  (Co)polymerised monomers containing sulfur, e.g. sulfonate · CPC title

• C11D3/3707

  Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides · CPC title