The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2011
Filed:
Feb. 03, 2010
Zhonghui Alex Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Tiruchirapalli Arunagiri, Newark, CA (US);
Fritz C. Redeker, Fremont, CA (US);
Yezdi Dordi, Palo Alto, CA (US);
John Boyd, Ottawa, CA;
Mikhail Korolik, San Jose, CA (US);
Arthur M. Howald, Pleasanton, CA (US);
William Thie, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Praveen Nalla, Fremont, CA (US);
Zhonghui Alex Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Tiruchirapalli Arunagiri, Newark, CA (US);
Fritz C. Redeker, Fremont, CA (US);
Yezdi Dordi, Palo Alto, CA (US);
John Boyd, Ottawa, CA;
Mikhail Korolik, San Jose, CA (US);
Arthur M. Howald, Pleasanton, CA (US);
William Thie, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Praveen Nalla, Fremont, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
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.