Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation
Abstract
Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation. The present invention includes the use of plasmas with mechanical agitation for removing particulate matter from the surface of a wafer. The apparatus hereof comprises a mechanical activator, at least one conducting contact pin for transferring the vibration from the activator to the wafer, clamp fingers that maintain the wafer's position, and means for generating a plasma in the vicinity of the surface of the wafer, all parts of the cleaning apparatus except the mechanical activator and part of the contact pin being contained inside the processing chamber. By exposing a wafer to a plasma and providing motion thereto in a direction perpendicular to its surface, the bonding between the particulate matter and the surface may be overcome. Once free of the wafer surface, the particulates become charged by electrons from the plasma and are drawn into the plasma by attractive forces which keep them from redepositing. The introduction of a flowing gas through the plasma sweeps the particulates away from the wafer and out of the plasma. The entire surface is cleaned during one cleaning step. The use of an rf plasma to accomplish the particulate removal was foundmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872039
- Patent Number(s):
- 5849135
- Assignee:
- Regents of University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01J - ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- particulate; contamination; removal; wafers; plasmas; mechanical; agitation; removing; matter; surface; wafer; apparatus; comprises; activator; conducting; contact; transferring; vibration; clamp; fingers; maintain; position; means; generating; plasma; vicinity; cleaning; contained; inside; processing; chamber; exposing; providing; motion; thereto; direction; perpendicular; bonding; overcome; free; particulates; charged; electrons; drawn; attractive; forces; redepositing; introduction; flowing; gas; sweeps; entire; cleaned; step; rf; accomplish; found; remove; 90; removing particulate; particulate removal; direction perpendicular; rf plasma; processing chamber; particulate matter; entire surface; particulate contamination; cleaning apparatus; flowing gas; wafer surface; mechanical agitation; contained inside; tractive force; attractive force; contamination removal; /156/134/
Citation Formats
Selwyn, Gary S. Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Selwyn, Gary S. Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation. United States.
Selwyn, Gary S. Thu .
"Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872039.
@article{osti_872039,
title = {Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation},
author = {Selwyn, Gary S},
abstractNote = {Particulate contamination removal from wafers using plasmas and mechanical agitation. The present invention includes the use of plasmas with mechanical agitation for removing particulate matter from the surface of a wafer. The apparatus hereof comprises a mechanical activator, at least one conducting contact pin for transferring the vibration from the activator to the wafer, clamp fingers that maintain the wafer's position, and means for generating a plasma in the vicinity of the surface of the wafer, all parts of the cleaning apparatus except the mechanical activator and part of the contact pin being contained inside the processing chamber. By exposing a wafer to a plasma and providing motion thereto in a direction perpendicular to its surface, the bonding between the particulate matter and the surface may be overcome. Once free of the wafer surface, the particulates become charged by electrons from the plasma and are drawn into the plasma by attractive forces which keep them from redepositing. The introduction of a flowing gas through the plasma sweeps the particulates away from the wafer and out of the plasma. The entire surface is cleaned during one cleaning step. The use of an rf plasma to accomplish the particulate removal was found to remove more than 90% of the particulates.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}
Works referenced in this record:
A Phenomenlogical Study of Particulates in Plasma Tools and Processes
journal, June 1993
- Selwyn, Gary S.
- Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 32, Issue Part 1, No. 6B
Plasma particulate contamination control. I. Transport and process effects
journal, November 1991
- Selwyn, Gary S.
- Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, Vol. 9, Issue 6
Charging of particles in a plasma
journal, August 1994
- Goree, J.
- Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 3, Issue 3