Apparatus for particle removal by single-phase and two-phase media

Abstract

A cleaning system for removing contaminants on a surface of a patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices is provided. The system includes a substrate carrier for supporting edges of the patterned substrate, and a cleaning head positioned over the patterned substrate. The cleaning head includes a plurality of dispensing holes to dispense a cleaning material on the surface the patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, wherein the cleaning material includes polymers of a polymeric compound. The cleaning head is coupled to a storage of the cleaning material, which is coupled to the cleaning material preparation system. A support structure holds the cleaning head in proximity to the surface of the patterned substrate.

1 . A cleaning system for removing contaminants on a surface of a patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, comprising:
 a substrate carrier for supporting edges of the patterned substrate;   a cleaning head positioned over the patterned substrate held by the substrate carrier, the cleaning head having a plurality of dispensing holes to dispense a cleaning material on the surface the patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, wherein the cleaning material includes polymers of a polymeric compound with a molecular weight greater than 10,000 g/mol, the polymers being soluble in a solvent to form the cleaning material, the cleaning material having less than 1 part per billion (ppb) of metallic contaminants before being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the solubilized polymers having long polymer chains to capture and entrap the contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate, wherein the cleaning material deforms around device features on the patterned substrate when a force is applied on the cleaning material applied on the surface of the patterned substrate to remove the contaminants without substantially damaging the device features on the surface, the cleaning material being substantially free of abrasive particles before the cleaning material being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the cleaning head being coupled to a storage of the cleaning material, which is coupled to the cleaning material preparation system; and   a support structure for holding the cleaning head in proximity to the surface of the patterned substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head further includes a plurality of vacuum holes for vacuuming the cleaning material from the surface of the patterned substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head further includes a plurality of dispensing holes for a surface tension reducing gas, which reduces surface tension of the surface of the patterned substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transport mechanism for moving the patterned substrate underneath the cleaning head.   
     
     
         5 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing head has a long slit to dispense the cleaning material. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rinse head position over the patterned substrate and next to the cleaning head, wherein the rinse head dispenses a rinse liquid to remove cleaning material from the surface of the patterned substrate.   
     
     
         7 . The cleaning system of  claim 6 , wherein the rinse head has a plurality of holes to dispense the rinse liquid and the rinse head also has a plurality of vacuum holes to remove the rinse liquid, the cleaning material and the contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate carrier moves the patterned substrate under the cleaning head at a speed. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl formamide (DMF), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compound is selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymers, such as polyacrylamide (PAM), polyacrylic acid (PAA), such as Carbopol 940™ and Carbopol 941™, poly-(N,N-dimethyl-acrylamide) (PDMAAm), poly-(N-isopropyl-acryl amide) (PIPAAm), polymethacrylic acid (PMAA), polymethacrylamide (PMAAm), polyimines and oxides, such as polyethylene imine (PEI), polyethylene oxide (PEO), polypropylene oxide (PPO), vinyl polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene sulphonic acid (PESA), polyvinylamine (PVAm), polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP), poly-4-vinyl pyridine (P4VP), cellulose derivatives, such as methyl cellulose (MC), ethyl-cellulose (EC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polysaccharides, such as acacia, agar and agarose, heparin, guar gum, xanthan gum, and proteins such as albumen, collagen, and gluten. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the molecular weight is between about 0.1 M g/mol to about 100M g/mol. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning material is fluidic in a form of a liquid, sol, gel, or foam. 
     
     
         13 . A cleaning system for dispensing a cleaning material to remove contaminants on a surface of a patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, comprising:
 a substrate support for supporting the patterned substrate, wherein the substrate support rotates during a cleaning process to remove contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate;   a dispensing nozzle positioned over the patterned substrate for dispensing the cleaning material on the patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, wherein the cleaning material includes polymers of the polymeric compound with a molecular weight greater than 10,000 g/mol, the polymers being soluble in a solvent to form the cleaning material, the cleaning material having less than 1 ppb metallic contaminants before being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the solubilized polymers having long polymer chains to capture and entrap the contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate, wherein the cleaning material deforms around device features on the patterned substrate when a force is applied on the cleaning material applied on the surface of the patterned substrate to remove the contaminants without substantially damaging the device features on the surface, the cleaning material being substantially free of abrasive particles before the cleaning material being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the dispensing head being coupled to a storage of the cleaning material, which is coupled to the cleaning material preparation system.   
     
     
         14 . The cleaning system of  claim 13 , wherein the substrate support is placed inside a cleaning tank. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a rinse liquid dispensing nozzle for dispensing a rinse liquid on the patterned substrate, wherein the rinse liquid dispensing head is coupled to a rinse liquid storage tank, the rinse liquid remove the cleaning material from the surface of the patterned substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaning system of  claim 15 , wherein the rinse liquid is de-ionized water (DIW). 
     
     
         17 . A cleaning system for removing contaminants on a surface of a patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, comprising:
 a substrate carrier for supporting the patterned substrate;   a cleaning tank containing the cleaning material for removing contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate for defining integrated circuit devices, wherein the cleaning material includes polymers of the polymeric compound with a molecular weight greater than 10,000 g/mol, the polymers being soluble in a solvent to form the cleaning material, the cleaning material having less than 1 ppb metallic contaminants before being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the solubilized polymers having long polymer chains to capture and entrap the contaminants from the surface of the patterned substrate, wherein the cleaning material deforms around device features on the patterned substrate when a force is applied on the cleaning material applied on the surface of the patterned substrate to remove the contaminants without substantially damaging the device features on the surface, the cleaning material being substantially free of abrasive particles before the cleaning material being applied on the surface of the patterned substrate, the dispensing head being coupled to a storage of the cleaning material; and   a mechanical mechanism for lowering and raising the patterned substrate into and out of the cleaning tank.   
     
     
         18 . The cleaning system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a rinsing tank containing a cleaning liquid to rinse off the cleaning material from the surface of the patterned substrate; and   
       a mechanical mechanism for lowering the patterned substrate into the rinsing tank.