Methods of post chemical mechanical polishing and wafer cleaning using amidoxime compositions

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the removal of residues and contaminants from metal or dielectric surfaces and to a method for chemical mechanical polishing of a copper or aluminum surface. The methods of the invention include using an aqueous amidoxime complex agent. Optionally, the pH of the solution can be adjusted with an acid or base. The method includes applying the above composition to the copper or aluminum surface and polishing the surface in the presence of the composition.

1 . A method for removing residues and contaminants from a metal or dielectric surface, said method comprising providing a semiconductor surface, wherein said surface comprises at least one metal or metal oxide and has undergone chemical mechanical polishing by contacting the metal or dielectric surface with a cleaning composition comprising:
 at least about 10% by weight of a mixture of water;   from about 0.1% to about 35% by weight of at least one amidoxime compound;   optionally an organic solvent; and   optionally one or more organic acid compounds.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition comprises between 0.1% to 45% by weight of one or more organic acid compounds selected from the group consisting of monofunctional, difunctional and trifunctional organic acids, and further comprises between 0.5% and 30% by weight of an oxidizing agent. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffering amount of at least one basic compounds selected from the group consisting of an ammonium compound, hydroxylamine, a hydroxylamine derivative, an alkanolamine and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one basic component comprises hydroxylamine or a hydroxylamine derivative present in an amount from about 0.3% to about 15% by weight. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ammonium compound comprises tetraalkylammonium hydroxide, TMAH pentahydrate, BTMAH (benzyltetramethylammonium hydroxide), TBAH, choline, or THEMAH (Tris(2-hydroxyethyl)methylammonium hydroxide) present in an amount from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the alkanolamine comprises monoethanolamine, 2-(2-hydroxylethylamino)ethanol, 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, N,N,N-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-ammonia, isopropanolamine, 3-amino-1-propanol, 2-amino-1-propanol, 2-(N-methylamino)ethanol, 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminoethane, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , where said one or more organic acid compounds are selected from the group consisting of methanesulfonic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, xylenesulfonic acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, formic acid, tartaric acid, propionic acid, benzoic acid, ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, gallic acid, butyric acid, trifluoracetic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more organic acid compounds are present in an amount from about 0.2% to about 45% by weight. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , where said one or more oxidizing agents are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, ammonium peroxydisulfate, peracetic acid, urea hydroperoxide, sodium percarbonate, sodium perboraten and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent is present in an amount from about 5% to about 15% by weight. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a surface active agent. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface-active agent is selected from the group consisting of: (a) non-ionic surfactants; (b) anionic surfactants; (c) cationic surfactants; (d) zwitterionic surfactants; (e) amphoteric surfactants; (f) and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . A method for cleaning a semiconductor work-piece after the Chemical-Mechanical Planarization (CMP) of the wafer during the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, the method comprising the steps of.
 (a) providing a semiconductor work-piece, wherein said semiconductor workpiece comprises:
 (i) a metal line, wherein said metal line comprises copper or aluminum; 
 (ii) a barrier material, wherein said barrier material comprises one or more of materials selected from the group consisting of: a). tantalum (Ta), b). tantalum nitride (TaN), c). titanium (Ti), d). titanium nitride (TiN), e). tungsten (W), and f). tungsten nitride (WN); and 
 (iii) a dielectric; 
   (b) contacting said semiconductor work-piece with a cleaning solution comprising a cleaning agent, wherein said cleaning agent comprises:
 (i) water, and 
 (ii) one or more amidoxime compounds. 
   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said cleaning agent further comprises a surface-active agent which is selected from the group consisting of: (a) non-ionic; (b) anionic; (c) cationic; (d) zwitterionic; (e) amphoteric surfactants; (f) and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cleaning agent further comprises at least one basic compound which includes one or more alkanolamines selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, 2-(2-hydroxylethylamino)ethanol, 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, N,N,N-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-ammonia, isopropanolamine, 3-amino-1-propanol, 2-amino-1-propanol, 2-(N-methylamino)ethanol, 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one basic compound is present an amount from about 0.5% to about 50% by weight. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the solution is substantially free from fluoride-containing compounds, acid compounds, organic solvents, alkanolamines, quaternary ammonium compounds, hydroxylamine and hydroxylamine derivatives, non-hydroxyl-containing amines, alkanolamines, non-amidoxime group chelating agents, and surfactants. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amidoxime compound is derived from a nitrile compound that is derived from the cyanoethylation of a compound selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols, hydroxy acids, sugar acids, monomeric polyols, polyhydric alcohols, glycol ethers, polymeric polyols, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, amines, amides, imides, amino alcohols, and synthetic polymers. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cleaning agent is further diluted with water prior to contacting with the semiconductor work-piece. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the dilution factor is from about 10 to about 500. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning composition further comprises at least one chelating agent which does not contain an amidoxime functional group. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of: ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, hydroxamic acid, an oxime, 8-hydroxy quinoline, a polyalkylenepolyamine, triazole, a crown ether, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cleaning composition further comprises an oxidizing agent. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of ammonium peroxydisulfate, peracetic acid, urea hydroperoxide, sodium percarbonate, organic peroxide, sodium perborate and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       25 . A method for the removal of residues and contaminants from a metal or dielectric surface, the method comprising:
 (1) providing a semiconductor surface, wherein said surface comprises at least one metal or metal oxide and has thereon a cleaning formulation comprising amines, hydroxylamines, or mixtures thereof; and   (2) contacting the metal or dielectric surface with a post-cleaning composition comprising: one or more amidoxime compounds, water, between 1% to 25% by weight of one or more organic acids selected from the group consisting of monofunctional, difunctional and trifunctional organic acids, and between 0.5% and 30% by weight of an oxidizing agent, for a time sufficient to remove the residual cleaning formulation,   wherein the post clean composition has a pH between about 3.5 and about 7.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the semiconductor surface comprises a metal comprising Al, an Al/(0.5%)Cu alloy, Ti, W, Ta, or alloys thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said contacting removes less than about 17 Angstroms/min of Cu metal or Cu oxide from the semiconductor surface. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the post clean composition further comprises between 0.01% and 10% by weight of a chelator. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the surface tension of the post clean composition is approximately 70 dynes/cm or less.