Most Advanced Semiconductor Surface Cleaning : Current Problems and Future Prospects

Abstract

With semiconductor-device geometry shrinking and becoming more complex, conventional aqueous cleaning/drying of semiconductor surfaces tends to collapse high-aspect-ratio nano-structures due to the surface tension of rinsing water. This is one of the most significant problems in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. Some current problems in the most advanced semiconductor surface cleaning and several possible solutions to overcome the shortcomings of water-based cleaning will be described and discussed with special emphasis on non-aqueous or dry wafer-surface cleaning technologies to prevent the pattern collapse problem. While semiconductor device geometry will scale down to 5-nm and below in the near future, completely different materials and device structures will be introduced in the semiconductor-device manufacturing. Larger diameter (450-mm) silicon wafers will also be employed in the future. There will be more research challenges and opportunities in developing innovative semiconductor surface cleaning and conditioning technologies for these future applications.