Post-chemical mechanical planarization clean-up process using

Abstract

A post chemical-mechanical polishing clean-up process. Particles and ionic and metallic contaminants remaining on wafer 32 surface after CMP are removed and scratches are smoothed. The wafer 32 may be subjected to a high pressure/high rotational speed rinse at spindle rinse station 42 followed by buffing of the wafer 32 on a second polishing platen 38. If desired, a second high pressure/high speed rinse at spindle rinse station 42 may be performed after the buffing step. The wafer 32 may then be then transferred to a tank 50 for a megasonic bath and after the megasonic bath, the wafer 32 is transferred to a scrubber 44, which scrubs both surfaces of the wafer 32 with brushes and then spins the wafer 32 dry as spin station 84. All transfers are performed in a solution such as DI water to prevent drying of slurry on the wafer surface.