Lam Research Corporation

Tiruchirapalli Arunagirí

Yezdi N Dordi

Fritz C Redeker

Mikhail Korolik

Arthur M Howald

William Thie

John M Boyd

Praveen Nalla

Zhonghui Alex Wang

Methods for cleaning semiconductor wafers following chemical mechanical polishing are provided. An exemplary method exposes a wafer to a thermal treatment in an oxidizing environment followed by a thermal treatment in a reducing environment. The thermal treatment in the oxidizing environment both removes residues and oxidizes exposed copper surfaces to form a cupric oxide layer. The thermal treatment in the reducing environment then reduces the cupric oxide to elemental copper. This leaves the exposed copper clean and in condition for further processing, such as electroless plating.

Thermal methods for cleaning post-CMP wafers

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Tiruchirapalli Arunagirí