Non Destructive Nanoparticle Removal from Submicron Structures Using Megasonic Cleaning

Abstract

The removal of nanoparticles from patterned wafers is one of the main challenges facing the semiconductor industry. As the size of structures shrinks with each new generation of devices, it becomes more difficult to remove nanoscale particles. Nanostructures (specially, poly silicon lines) were found to be vulnerable to damage as a result of cavitation when megasocnic cleaning is utilized. Megasonics utilizes acoustic streaming to reduce the acoustic boundary layer and utilize the generated pulsating flow to remove nanoscale particles from trenches and other structures on the wafer. Although Megasonics is believed to be a solution for many of these cleaning challenges, it has been shown to cause damage to nanoscale device structures such as poly-silicon lines.