Papers by Author: Eric Houyang

Abstract: Advanced device is more sensitive to material loss and dopant fluctuation, that might strongly influence device performance. Conventional dry ash process for implanted photoresist strip can not meet the requirement of material loss minimization of advanced device. Full wet process for resist strip was first successfully demonstrated at 22nm structure wafer to gain 50% silicon loss reduction. Besides, full wet process also demonstrated defect cleaning performance was even better than conventional approach. This work focused on mechanism study of Si₃N₄ and SiO₂ film loss induced by high temperature SPM process.

Abstract: The static electricity of wet clean was characterized by contactless surface voltage measurement on silicon oxide dielectric in this study. The paper shows surface static charge at wafer center caused by a single wafer spin cleaning tool. Deionized water (DIW) rinse was verified as the critical step of inducing static charge. It was demonstrated by metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor that such serious dielectric static charge would degrade gate oxide integrity (GOI). With dissolved CO₂ to lower DIW resistance, surface static charge at wafer center is reduced and degraded GOI is restored as a result.