Abstract: The present invention relates to chemical compositions and methods of use for cleaning CMP equipment, including the interiors of delivery conduits caring CMP slurry to the necessary sites. The chemical compositions of the present invention are also useful for post-CMP cleaning of the wafer itself. Three classes of cleaning compositions are described, all of which are aqueous solutions. One class operates in a preferable pH range from about 11 to about 12 and preferably contains one or more non-ionic surfactants, one or more simple amines, a surfactant or sticking agent, such as one or more soluble dialcohol organic compounds, and one or more quaternary amines. A second class of cleaning composition operates in a preferable pH range of approximately 8.5 and contains one or more of citric acid, lactic acid, and oxalic acid. A third class of compositions is acidic, having a preferable pH range from about 1.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a photoresist-free method for depositing films composed of metals, such as copper or silica, or their oxides from metal complexes. More specifically, the method involves applying an amorphous film of a metal complex to a substrate. The metal complexes have a metal and a photo-degradable ligand. A preferred ligand is acac or alkyl-acac, expecially in combination with acetate ligands. These films, upon, for example, thermal, photochemical or electron beam irradiation may be converted to the metal or its oxides. By using either directed light or electron beams, this may lead to a patterned metal or metal oxide film in a single step. Low temperature baking may be used to remove residual organics from the deposited film. If silica is the metal, the deposited film has excellent smoothness and dielectric properties.

Abstract: A problem to be solved is to provide a slurry that is capable of flattening an uneven film on a substrate with good precision, and that has good stability, not separating into two layers, solidifying through flocculated settling or undergoing changes in viscosity. This problem is solved by adding poly ammonium acrylates having different degrees of neutralization to one another as surfactants to a cerium oxide slurry containing cerium oxide particles, and suitably adjusting the total amount of polyacrylates added.

Abstract: A residue remover for removing polymeric material and etch residue includes 2-(2-aminoethylamino)-ethanol and optionally another two-carbon atom linkage alkanolamine compound, gallic acid or catechol, water, a polar organic solvent, and hydroxylamine. A process for removing photoresist or other residue from a substrate, such as an integrated circuit semiconductor wafer including titanium metallurgy, includes the steps of contacting the substrate with the above composition for a time and at a temperature sufficient to remove the photoresist or other residue from the substrate. Use of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)-ethanol in the composition and process provides superior residue removal without attacking titanium or other metallurgy on the substrate. The composition preferably has a flash point greater than about 130° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for converting a precursor material, preferably organometallic, to a film, preferably metal-containing, that is adherent to at least a portion of a substrate. Both method and apparatus include a pre-conversion step or section, and a step or section for substantial conversion of a portion of material from the pre-conversion step or section into the form of a predetermined pattern, wherein this substantial conversion results in a metal-containing patterned layer on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention involves the hydrothermal treatment of nanostructured films to form high k PMOD™ films for use in applications that are temperature sensitive, such as applications using a polymer based substrate. After a PMOD™ precursor is deposited and converted on a substrate, and possibly after other process steps, the amorphous, nanoporous directly patterned film is subjected to low temperature hydrothermal treatment to densify and possibly crystallize the resulting high dielectric PMOD™ film. A post hydrothermal treatment bake is then performed to remove adsorped water.

Abstract: A composition for the stripping of photoresist and the cleaning of residues from substrates, and for silicon oxide etch, comprising from about 0.01 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of one or more fluoride compounds, from about 10 percent by weight to about 95% by weight of a sulfoxide or sulfone solvent, and from about 20 percent by weight to about 50 percent by weight water. The composition may contain corrosion inhibitors, chelating agents, co-solvents, basic amine compounds, surfactants, acids and bases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of ozone (O3) as a reagent in chemical mechanical planarization either in aqueous solution or as a gas directly impinging on the surface to be planarized. An aqueous solution containing ozone may optionally contain abrasive particles and/or additional CMP reagents co-dissolved with the ozone including carbonate and bicarbonate anions, and organic acids such as formic, oxalic, acetic and glycol. Abrasives that may be added include alumina, silica, spinel, ceria, zirconia. Typical concentrations of ozone aqueous solution are in the range from approximately 1 part-per-million up to saturation. Ammonium salts, particularly ammonium carbonate, facilitate planarization in cooperation with ozone-containing aqueous solution. Low k dielectric materials, organic as well as inorganic, and difficult to oxidize metals can be planarized with ozone reagents pursuant to the present invention.

Abstract: The cleaning composition for removing resists includes a salt of hydrofluoric acid and a base not containing a metal (A component), a water-soluble organic solvent (B1 component), at least one acid selected from a group consisting of organic acid and inorganic acid (C component), water (D component), and optionally an ammonium salt (E1 component), and its hydrogen ion concentration (pH) is 4-8. Thus, in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device such as a copper interconnecting process, removing efficiency of resist residue and other etching residue after etching or ashing improves, and corrosion resistance of copper and insulating film also improves.

Abstract: This invention comprises methods for making nanostructured and nanoporous thin film structures of various compositions. These films can be directly patterned. In these methods, precursor films are deposited on a surface and different components of the precursor film are reacted under selected conditions, forming a nanostructured or nanoporous film. Such films can be used in a variety of applications, for example, low k dielectrics, sensors, catalysts, conductors or magnetic films. Nanostructured films can be created: (1) using one precursor component and two reactions, (2) using two or more components based on differential rates of photochemical conversion, (3) using two precursors based on the thermal sensitivity of one precursor and the photochemical sensitivity of the other, and (4) by photochemical reaction of a precursor film and selected removal of a largely unreacted component from the film.

Abstract: A composition for chemical mechanical polishing includes a slurry. A sufficient amount of a selectively oxidizing and reducing compound is provided in the composition to produce a differential removal of a metal and a dielectric material. A pH adjusting compound adjusts the pH of the composition to provide a pH that makes the selectively oxidizing and reducing compound provide the differential removal of the metal and the dielectric material. A composition for chemical mechanical polishing is improved by including an effective amount for chemical mechanical polishing of a hydroxylamine compound, ammonium persulfate, a compound which is an indirect source of hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid or periodic acid. A method for chemical mechanical polishing comprises applying a slurry to a metal and dielectric material surface to produce mechanical removal of the metal and the dielectric material.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for converting a precursor material, preferably organometallic, to a film, preferably metal-containing, that is adherent to at least a portion of a substrate. Both method and apparatus include a pre-conversion step or section, and a step or section for substantial conversion of a portion of material from the pre-conversion step or section into the form of a predetermined pattern, wherein this substantial conversion results in a metal-containing patterned layer on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for chemical-mechanical polishing which comprises an oxidizing agent, an abrasive, and a Fenton's reagent. The oxidizing agent comprises a per compound, such as periodic acid, a peroxide, or a persulfate. The abrasive comprises a metal oxide, such as colloidal silica, alumina, or spinel. The Fenton's reagent comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of metals in Group 1(b) and Group 8, such as iron, copper and silver. The composition is believed to be effective by virtue of the interaction between the oxidizing agent and the Fenton's reagent that is at least partially linked to the surface of the abrasive. The invention further provides a method that employs the composition in the polishing of a feature or layer, such as a metal film, on a substrate surface. The invention additionally provides a substrate produced this method.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a photoresist-free method for depositing films composed of metals, such as copper, or its oxides from metal complexes. More specifically, the method involves applying an amorphous film of a metal complex to a substrate. The metal complexes have the formula MfLgXh, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Au, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Si, Sn, Li, Na, K, Ba, Sr, Mo, Ru, Pd, Pt, Re, Ir, and Os; L is a ligand of the formula (R2NCR′2CR″2O), wherein R, R′ and R″ are independently selected from H, CnHm, and CnHmAxBy, wherein A and B are independently selected from main group elements and f, g, h, n, m, x and y represent integers; and X is an anion independently selected from N3, NCO, NO3, NO2, Cl, Br, I, CN, OH, H and CH3. These films, upon, for example, thermal, photochemical or electron beam irradiation may be converted to the metal or its oxides.

Abstract: Clean room wipe products, methods of preparing them, and methods of using them are described. The clean room wipes are intended for use in cleaning up alkaline contaminants in clean room environments. The wipes contain impregnated acidic solutions, e.g., solutions of organic acids and optionally solvents, which are intended to reduce or eliminate the possibility of spontaneous combustion of the contaminated wipes, that is, when the wipes are used to contain spills of alkaline products such as hydroxylamine-based products and other caustic based formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions for the chemical mechanical planarization (“CMP”) of barrier/adhesion layers, particularly Ta/TaN barrier/adhesion layers as occur in the manufacture of integrated circuits. CMP compositions comprise an aqueous solution of oxidizer and colloidal silica abrasive. Oxidizers include hydroxylamine nitrate, nitric acid, benzotriazole, ammonium nitrate, aluminum nitrate, hydrazine and mixtures thereof in aqueous solution.

Abstract: A composition for chemical mechanical polishing includes a slurry. A sufficient amount of a selectively oxidizing and reducing compound is provided in the composition to produce a differential removal of a metal and a dielectric material. A pH adjusting compound adjusts the pH of the composition to provide a pH that makes the selectively oxidizing and reducing compound provide the differential removal of the metal and the dielectric material. A composition for chemical mechanical polishing is improved by including an effective amount for chemical mechanical polishing of a hydroxylamine compound, ammonium persulfate, a compound which is an indirect source of hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid or periodic acid. A method for chemical mechanical polishing comprises applying a slurry to a metal and dielectric material surface to produce mechanical removal of the metal and the dielectric material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a compound semiconductor device having a lift-off process. The lift-off process includes a step of forming a resist mask having an electrode opening on an active layer of a compound semiconductor formed on a substrate of a compound semiconductor; a step of forming a metal layer on the resist mask and the active layer in the electrode opening; and a releasing step of dissolving the resist mask and removing the metal layer formed on the resist mask to leave the metal layer on the active layer in the electrode opening as an electrode. In the releasing step, the resist mask is removed sufficiently by using a resist remover essentially consisting one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of an amine-including compound and nitrogen-including cyclic compounds so that the residual resist mask need not be removed by ashing.

Abstract: A composition for chemical mechanical polishing includes a slurry. A sufficient amount of a selectively oxidizing and reducing compound is provided in the composition to produce a differential removal of a metal and a dielectric material. A pH adjusting compound adjusts the pH of the composition to provide a pH that makes the selectively oxidizing and reducing compound provide the differential removal of the metal and the dielectric material. A composition for chemical mechanical polishing is improved by including an effective amount for chemical mechanical polishing of a hydroxylamine compound, ammonium persulfate, a compound which is an indirect source of hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid or periodic acid. A method for chemical mechanical polishing comprises applying a slurry to a metal and dielectric material surface to produce mechanical removal of the metal and the dielectric material.

Abstract: The present invention relates chemical mechanical planarization (“CMP”) of copper surfaces and describes copper CMP slurries including an oxidizer, one or more hydroxylamine compounds and at least one abrasive. The hydroxylamine compositions can include hydroxylamine nitrate, hydroxylamine, hydroxylamine sulfate, hydroxyl ammonium salts and mixtures thereof. The oxidizers may further include citric acid as a complexing agent for copper. Sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid provide means for modifying the pH of the oxidizer so that the hydroxylamine chemistries are acidic. Some embodiments include corrosion inhibitors such as benzotriazole, 2,4-pentadione dioxime and/or 1,6-dioxaspiro[4,4]nonane 2,7-dione. Some embodiments also include a free radical inhibitor, advantageously hydrazine. Colloidal silica and milled alumina are used as typical abrasive components.