Systems for Surface Treatment of Semiconductor Substrates using Sequential Chemical Applications

Abstract

Systems for removing post etch polymer residue from etched surface includes a first proximity head to introduce a first cleaning chemistry as a first meniscus to a portion of the surface of the substrate so as to cover a length that extends to at least a diameter of the substrate and a first width that is less than the diameter of the substrate. A second proximity head is configured to introduce a second cleaning chemistry as a second meniscus to the portion so as to cover the length that extends to the diameter and a second width that is less than the diameter of the substrate. A substrate supporting device equipped with a motor coupled to a computing system is used to move the substrate supporting device under the first proximity head at a first linear speed and under the second proximity head at a second linear speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for preparing a surface of a substrate by removing post etch polymer residue from etched surfaces that define a gate structure formed from at least one layer of tungsten metal, comprising:
 a first proximity head configured to introduce a first cleaning chemistry as a first meniscus to a portion of the surface of the substrate, when present, the first meniscus is introduced to cover a length that extends to at least a diameter of the substrate and a first width that is less than the diameter of the substrate, when present;   a second proximity head configured to introduce a second cleaning chemistry as a second meniscus to the portion of the surface of the substrate, the second meniscus is introduced to cover the length that extends to at least the diameter of the substrate and a second width that is less than the diameter of the substrate, when present, the first and the second cleaning chemistries introduced sequentially; and   a substrate support to receive and transport the substrate, the substrate support controlled by a motor that is coupled to a computing system to actuate movement of the substrate support, the substrate support controlled to move under the first proximity head at a first linear speed so as to expose the portion of the surface of the substrate to the first cleaning chemistry for a pre-defined exposure time and move under the second proximity head at a second linear speed.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and the second proximity heads is further designed to apply a rinsing chemistry to the surface of the substrate after the application of the first and/or the second cleaning chemistries to the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and the second proximity heads each are configured to apply the rinsing chemistry and the corresponding first or second cleaning chemistries as distinct menisci. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein one of the first proximity head or the second proximity head is further designed to perform a drying operation following the rinsing operation, the drying operation performed at the end of the cleaning process. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear speed is different from the second linear speed. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear speed is same as the second linear speed. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined exposure time is defined as a function of the first linear speed and the first width of the first meniscus. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning chemistry is ammonium peroxide mixture and the second cleaning chemistry is diluted hydrofluoric acid. 
     
     
         9 . A system for preparing a surface of a substrate by removing post etch polymer residue from etched surfaces that define a gate structure formed from at least one layer of tungsten metal, comprising:
 a first proximity head configured to introduce a first cleaning chemistry as a first meniscus to a portion of the surface of the substrate, the first meniscus is introduced to cover a length that extends to at least a diameter of the substrate and a first width that is less than the diameter of the substrate, when present;   a second proximity head configured to introduce a second cleaning chemistry as a second meniscus to the portion of the surface of the substrate, the second meniscus is introduced to cover the length that extends to at least the diameter of the substrate and a second width that is less than the diameter of the substrate, when present, the first and the second cleaning chemistries introduced sequentially; and   a substrate support to receive and transport the substrate, when present, the substrate support controlled by a motor that is coupled to a computing system to actuate movement of the substrate support, the substrate support controlled to move under the first proximity head at a first linear speed so as to expose the portion of the surface of the substrate to the first cleaning chemistry for a first pre-defined exposure time, wherein the first pre-defined exposure time is defined by the first linear speed and the first width of the first meniscus and move under the second proximity head at a second linear speed so as to expose the portion of the surface of the substrate to the second cleaning chemistry for a second pre-defined exposure time, the second pre-defined exposure time defined by the second linear speed and the second width of the second meniscus.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first width is different from the second width. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first width is same as the second width. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first linear speed is different from the second linear speed. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first linear speed is same as the second linear speed. 
     
     
         14 . A system for removing post etch polymer residue from etched surfaces that define a metal gate structure formed on a surface of a substrate, comprising:
 a carrier for receiving and transporting the substrate;   a first proximity head configured to introduce a first cleaning chemistry to a portion of the surface of the substrate as a first meniscus;   a second proximity head configured to introduce a second cleaning chemistry to the portion of the surface of the substrate as a second meniscus, the first and the second cleaning chemistries introduced sequentially; and   a motor for moving the carrier under the first and the second proximity heads so as to enable application of the first and the second cleaning chemistries to the portion of the surface of the substrate, the motor coupled to a computing system to control a linear speed of the carrier moving under the first proximity head and the second proximity head so as to expose the portion of the substrate to the first and the second cleaning chemistries for an exposure time defined by the linear speed.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the linear speed of the carrier under the first proximity head is different from the linear speed of the carrier under the second proximity head, wherein the exposure time under the first and the second menisci varying in accordance with the linear speed of the carrier under the first and the second menisci. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first and the second proximity heads is further configured to introduce a rinsing chemistry to the portion of the surface of the substrate, the rinsing chemistry is applied after the application of the first and the second cleaning chemistries. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first and the second proximity heads are configured to apply the rinsing chemistry and the corresponding first or second cleaning chemistries as distinct menisci. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein one of the first proximity head or the second proximity head is further configured to perform a drying operation following the rinsing operation, the drying operation performed at the end of a cleaning process based on the sequence of application of the first and the second cleaning chemistries to the surface of the substrate.