Method of metal oxide thin film cleaning

Details Method of metal oxide thin film cleaning Method of metal oxide thin film cleaning

2001-09-26

2002-10-01

Carrillo, Sharidan (Department: 1746)

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Processes

Including application of electrical radiant or wave energy...

C134S001100, C134S001000, C134S001200, C134S002000, C134S021000, C134S025500, C134S026000, C134S032000, C134S034000, C134S036000, C134S902000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06457479

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of metal oxide thin film cleaning using organic solvents to remove platinum chloride residue after dry etching of a platinum electrode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Metal oxide thin films have a broad applications in ferroelectric and semiconductor devices. Platinum metal thin film is a commonly used material for the a device electrode. During device fabrication, the platinum metal thin film is subject to etching processes to form device patterns on silicon wafers. The best technique for platinum etching is a dry etching process, using chlorine-containing gases. During dry etching, the chlorine-containing gases react with the platinum metal to form non-volatile platinum-chloride-containing compounds, which removes platinum, but which leaves the platinum-chloride-containing compounds on other portions of the structure, or forms a fence along a photoresist side wall. Because these platinum-chloride-containing etching products are not volatile, they cannot be removed by a dynamic vacuum system. Wafer cleaning is necessary to remove the platinum-chloride-containing etching by-products from patterned metal oxide thin films.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method of cleaning a metal oxide thin film on a silicon wafer, includes, in a first embodiment, dipping the wafer in an organic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran for about 12 hours; drying the wafer in a nitrogen atmosphere; and stripping any photoresist from the wafer in an oxygen atmosphere under partial vacuum at a temperature of about 200° C.
The second embodiment of the method of the invention includes dipping the wafer in a polar organic solvent taken from the group of solvents consisting of tetrahydrofuran and ether; applying ultrasound to the wafer while in the organic solvent for between about 10 minutes to 40 minutes; stripping any photoresist from the wafer in an oxygen atmosphere under partial vacuum at a temperature of about 200° C.; dipping the wafer in a second organic solvent; applying ultrasound to the wafer for between about 5 minutes to 20 minutes; and drying the wafer in a nitrogen atmosphere.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of cleaning the platinum chloride-containing dry etching residues from metal oxide pattern wafers.
This summary and objectives of the invention are provided to enable quick comprehension of the nature of the invention. A more thorough understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention in connection with the drawings.


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