Apparatus for cleaning a substrate having metal interconnects

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus which can reduce a potential difference between metals or alloys used to form interconnects on a substrate for thereby minimizing corrosion which may occur during and after a substrate cleaning process. The cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate having metal interconnects comprises a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the substrate, and a functional water supply mechanism for supplying functional water to the cleaning mechanism. The cleaning mechanism cleans a surface of the substrate with use of the functional water.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A cleaning method of cleaning a substrate which has been polished by a CMP process, said method comprising: 
 producing functional water containing oxygen gas at a saturated concentration;    preparing the substrate having exposed metal interconnects and an exposed barrier metal on a surface of the substrate, the metal interconnects containing aluminum and the barrier metal containing titanium; and    cleaning the prepared substrate with the produced functional water.    
   
   
       9 . A cleaning method according to  claim 8 , wherein the functional water contains the oxygen gas at a saturated concentration and hydrogen gas at a saturated concentration.  
   
   
       10 . A cleaning method according to  claim 8 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises water-polishing the surface of the substrate using the functional water and then performing a contact-type cleaning process on the water-polished substrate using the functional water, said contact-type cleaning process using one of a roll-shaped cleaning member and a pencil-type cleaner.  
   
   
       11 . A cleaning method according to  claim 8 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises water-polishing the surface of the substrate using the functional water and then dipping the water-polished substrate in the functional water.  
   
   
       12 . A cleaning method according to  claim 8 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises water-polishing the prepared substrate using the functional water and then rinsing the water-polished substrate with the functional water.  
   
   
       13 . A cleaning method of cleaning a substrate having exposed metal interconnects formed by a reactive ion etching process, said method comprising: 
 producing functional water containing oxygen gas at a saturated concentration;    preparing the substrate having the exposed metal interconnects and an exposed barrier metal on a surface of the substrate, the metal interconnects containing aluminum and the barrier metal containing titanium; and    cleaning the prepared substrate using the produced functional water.    
   
   
       14 . A cleaning method according to  claim 13 , wherein the functional water contains the oxygen gas at a saturated concentration and hydrogen gas at a saturated concentration.  
   
   
       15 . A cleaning method according to  claim 13 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises performing a contact-type cleaning process on the prepared substrate using the functional water, said contact-type cleaning process using one of a roll-shaped cleaning member and a pencil-type cleaner.  
   
   
       16 . A cleaning method according to  claim 13 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises dipping the prepared substrate in the functional water.  
   
   
       17 . A cleaning method according to  claim 8 , wherein cleaning of the prepared substrate comprises rinsing the prepared substrate with the functional water.