Method and apparatus for processing a wafer

Abstract

A method of a single wafer wet/dry cleaning apparatus comprising: a transfer chamber having a wafer handler contained therein; a first single wafer wet cleaning chamber directly coupled to the transfer chamber; and a first single wafer ashing chamber directly coupled to the transfer chamber.

1 . A method of cleaning a residue or a photoresist layer from a wafer comprising: 
 transferring from a wafer cassette a wafer having a residue thereon into a transfer chamber having robot contained therein;    transferring said wafer from said transfer chamber into an ashing module coupled to said transfer chamber;    ashing said wafer in said ashing module to form an ashed wafer;    transferring said ashed wafer from said ashing module to said transfer chamber;    transferring said ashed wafer from said transfer chamber to a wet processing module coupled to said transfer chamber;    cleaning said ashed wafer with a cleaning solution in said wet processing chamber to form a cleaned and ashed wafer;    transferring said cleaned and ashed wafer from said cleaning module to said transfer chamber; and    removing said cleaned and ashed wafer from said transfer chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said ashing comprises: 
 exposing said wafer to an energized cleaning gas; and    before, during or after exposing said wafer to said energized cleaning glass, exposing the said wafer to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species and a hydrogen species.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cleaning gas comprises: 
 a stripping gas comprising one or more Of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 O, NH 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , CHF 3 , C 3 H 2 F 6 , C 2 H 4 F 2 , and CH 3 F provided under process conditions selected to at least partially remove said residue when said residue is remnant resist material.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said cleaning comprises: 
 transmitting sonic energy to a non-device side of said wafer while flowing said cleaning solution onto said wafer device side.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said cleaning comprises: 
 transmitting sonic energy to a non-device side of said wafer while flowing said cleaning solution onto said wafer device side.    
     
     
         6 . A method of processing a wafer comprising: 
 transferring a wafer from a wafer cassette into an atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    reducing the pressure in said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure;    transferring said wafer from said load lock into a sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock;    transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a sub-atmospheric process chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    processing said wafer in said sub-atmospheric process chamber to produce a sub-atmospheric processed wafer;    transferring said sub-atmospheric processed wafer from said sub-atmospheric process chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said sub-atmospheric processed wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock at said sub-atmospheric pressure;    raising the pressure in said load lock to atmospheric pressure;    transferring said sub-atmospheric processed wafer from said load lock to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said sub-atmospheric processed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber to an atmospheric process chamber coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    processing said sub-atmospheric processed wafer in said atmospheric process chamber to produce a sub-atmospheric processed and a atmospheric processed wafer;    transferring said sub-atmospheric processed and said atmospheric processed wafer from said atmospheric processing chamber to said atmospheric transfer chamber; and    removing said sub-atmospheric processed and said atmospheric processed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a CD measurement tool coupled said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber.  
     
     
         8 . A method of processing a wafer comprising: 
 transferring a wafer having a patterned photoresist layer formed on a thin film from a wafer cassette into an atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    reducing the pressure in said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure;    transferring said wafer from said load lock into a sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock;    transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into an etch chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    etching said thin film in alignment with said patterned photoresist layer in said etch chamber at a sub-atmospheric pressure to form an etched wafer;    transferring said etched wafer from said etch chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said etched wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber to an ashing chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    ashing said etched wafer in said ashing chamber to remove said patterned photoresist layer;    transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said ashing chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock at said sub-atmospheric pressure;    raising the pressure in said load lock to atmospheric pressure;    transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said load lock to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said etched and ashed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber to a wet cleaning chamber coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    cleaning said etched and ashed wafer in said wet cleaning chamber to produce an etched, ashed, and cleaned wafer;    transferring said etched, ashed, and cleaned wafer from said wet cleaning chamber to said atmospheric transfer chamber; and    removing said etched, ashed, and cleaned processed wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said thin film comprises a metal film.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said thin film comprises a stack of metal films.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said stacked metal film comprises an anti-reflective layer, a main conductive layer, and a barrier layer.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said thin film is a dielectric film.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said dielectric film is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride, SiOF, BPSG, undoped silicon pass and organic dielectrics.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said ashing comprises: 
 exposing said wafer to an energized cleaning gas; and    before, during or after exposing said wafer to said energized cleaning gas, exposing said wafer to an energized treating gas comprising a halogen species and a hydrogen species.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said cleaning gas comprises: 
 a stripping gas comprising one or more of O2, N2, H2O, NH3, CF4, C2F6, CHF3, C3H2F6, C2H4F2, and CHF3 provided under pressure conditions selected to at least partially remove said residue when said residue is remnant resist material.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said cleaning comprises: 
 transmitting sonic energy to a nondevice side of said wafer while flowing said cleaning solution on said wafer device side.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said cleaning comprises: 
 transmitting sonic energy to a nondevice side of said wafer while flowing said cleaning solution onto said device side.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 prior to transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into said load lock, transferring said wafer into a CD measurement tool, and determining whether or not the CD measurements are in compliance.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein if said CD measurements are not in compliance transferring said wafer into a ashing chamber coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber, and removing said photoresist mask in said ashing chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of: 
 prior to etching said thin film in said etch chamber, trimming said photoresist mask.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said trim utilizes oxygen plasma.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 8  wherein after ashing said wafer, passivating said substrate to a passivating gas which inactivates corrosive etchant residue.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of: 
 after ashing said wafer in said ashing chamber, transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a CD measurement tool, and checking the critical dimensions of said etched wafer.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 8  wherein after wet cleaning said etched and ashed wafer transferring said etched, ashed and cleaned wafer into a critical dimension monitoring tool coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber and checking said critical dimensions of said etched film.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said thin film is a dielectric film, and further comprising after transferring said etched, ashed and cleaned wafer from said wet cleaning chamber to said atmospheric transfer chamber; 
 transferring said etched, ashed and cleaned wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    reducing the pressure of said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure;    transferring said wafer from said load lock into a sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock;    transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a metal deposition chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    depositing a metal film in said deposition chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber.    
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a transistor comprising: 
 transferring a monocrystalline silicon substrate from a wafer cassette into an atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said a monocrystalline silicon substrate from said atmospheric transfer chamber to a wet cleaning chamber coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    cleaning said monocrystalline silicon substrate with a cleaning solution in said cleaning apparatus;    transferring said cleaned monocrystalline silicon substrate from said cleaning chamber to said atmospheric process chamber;    transferring said a monocrystalline silicon substrate from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    reducing the pressure in said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure;    transferring said a monocrystalline silicon substrate from said load lock into a sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock;    transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into an oxidation chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    oxidizing the monocrystalline silicon substrate to a monocrystalline silicon substrate to form a dielectric film on said monocrystalline silicon substrate in said oxidation chamber;    transferring said oxidized monocrystalline silicon substrate from said oxidation chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said oxidized wafer from sub-atmospheric transfer chamber to a polysilicon deposition chamber coupled to said sub-atmospheric chamber;    depositing a polysilicon film on said dielectric film formed on said monocrystalline silicon substrate in said polysilicon deposition chamber;    transferring said wafer with said deposited polysilicon film from said polysilicon deposition chamber to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said oxidized and polysilicon deposited wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock at said sub-atmospheric pressure;    raising said pressure in said load lock to atmospheric pressure;    transferring said oxidized and polysilicon deposited wafer from said load lock to said atmospheric transfer chamber; and    removing said oxidized and polysilicon deposited wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber.    
     
     
         27 . A method of stripping a silicon nitride film from a wafer comprising: 
 transferring a wafer having a silicon nitride film thereon into an atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    reducing the pressure in said load lock to a sub-atmospheric pressure;    transferring said wafer from said load lock into said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber coupled to said load lock;    transferring said wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into an etch module coupled to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    etching said silicon nitride film from said wafer in said etch module coupled to said sub-atmospheric process chamber;    transferring said silicon nitride stripped wafer from said etch module to said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said silicon nitride etched wafer from said sub-atmospheric transfer chamber into a load lock at said sub-atmospheric pressure;    raising the pressure in said load lock to atmospheric pressure;    transferring said silicon nitride etched wafer from said load lock to said atmospheric transfer chamber;    transferring said silicon nitride etched wafer from said atmospheric transfer chamber to a wet cleaning module coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber; and    cleaning said silicon nitride etched wafer in said wet cleaning chamber to produce a silicon nitride etched and cleaned wafer.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said wet cleaning comprises: 
 transmitting sonic energy to a nondevice side of said wafer while flowing a solution on said wafer device side.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising after cleaning said wafer in said wet cleaning module, transferring said wafer to a particle monitoring tool coupled to said atmospheric transfer chamber, and checking said surface of said wafer for particles or residue.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising utilizing said information from said particle monitoring tool to alter the silicon nitride strip parameters and/or the wet cleaning parameters for processing of subsequent wafers.  
     
     
         31 . A method of photolithographic processing of a wafer comprising: 
 forming a photoresist film on a first side of a wafer having said first side and a second side opposite said first side;    cleaning said wafer second side with a solution while said photoresist is on said wafer first side; and    exposing said photoresist film on said wafer first side to radiation after cleaning said wafer second side with said solution.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said cleaning of said wafer second side comprises: 
 horizontally positioning said wafer second side adjacent to and spaced-apart from a horizontal plate; and    providing said solution between said plate and said wafer second side.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising applying acoustic energy to a second side of said plate while flowing said fluid between said plate and said wafer second side.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said acoustic energy is applied in a direction normal to said wafer second side.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said acoustic energy is applied at a frequency of approximately 925 KHz.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said wafer frontside is kept dry while cleaning said wafer backside.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said wafer first side has a plurality of patterns formed thereon.  
     
     
         38 . A method of photolithographically processing a wafer comprising: 
 placing a wafer into a transfer chamber;    transferring said wafer from said transfer chamber into a single wafer wet clean module directly coupled to said transfer chamber;    cleaning said wafer backside in said single wafer cleaning module to produce a backside cleaned wafer;    transferring said backside cleaned wafer from said single wafer clean module to said transfer chamber;    transferring said backside cleaned wafer from said transfer chamber to a photoresist application module directly coupled to said transfer chamber;    applying photoresist to said wafer front side opposite said backside in said photoresist application module to produce a photoresist deposited wafer;    transferring said photoresist deposited wafer from said photoresist application module to said transfer chamber;    transferring said photoresist deposited wafer from said transfer chamber to an exposure station coupled directly to said transfer station; and    exposing said photoresist on said photoresist deposited wafer to radiation to produce a radiation exposed photoresist film on said photoresist deposited wafer.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said cleaning of said wafer backside comprises: 
 horizontally positioning said wafer backside adjacent to and spaced-apart from a horizontal plate; and    flowing a fluid between said horizontal plate and said wafer backside.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising applying acoustic energy to a second side of said horizontal plate while flowing said fluid between said plate and said wafer backside.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein said acoustic energy is applied in a direction normal to said wafer backside.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said wafer frontside is kept dry while cleaning said wafer backside.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 cleaning said wafer frontside by flowing a second fluid onto said wafer front side while providing said fluid between said plate and said wafer second side.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising filtering amine and ammonia vapors from said transfer chamber.  
     
     
         45 . A method of photolithographically processing a wafer comprising: 
 placing a wafer having a frontside opposite a backside into a photoresist application tool and forming a photoresist film on said frontside of said wafer;    removing said wafer from said photoresist application tool and placing said wafer into a backside cleaning tool and cleaning the backside of said wafer without exposing the wafer frontside to cleaning solutions or chemicals; and    removing said wafer from said backside cleaning tool and placing said wafer into a exposure tool and exposing said photoresist film to radiation in said exposure tool.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  when the step of forming said photoresist film on said wafer frontside includes baking said wafer to remove moisture from said wafer, and spinning a photoresist film on said wafer, and heating said wafer to remove solvents contained within said photoresist film.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said cleaning of said wafer backside comprises: 
 horizontally positioning said wafer backside adjacent to and spaced-apart from a horizontal plate; and    flowing a fluid between said horizontal plate and said wafer backside.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising applying acoustic energy to a second side of said horizontal plate while flowing said fluid between said plate and said wafer backside.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein said acoustic energy is applied in a direction normal to said wafer backside.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising after cleaning the backside of said wafer, placing said wafer in a backside particle inspection tool and inspecting said wafer backside for particles.