Abstract: Cleaning solutions for removing contaminants from semiconductor substrates are provided and include from about 0.08 to about 0.1 percent by weight of hydrogen fluoride; from about 0.5 to about 0.6 percent by weight of ammonium fluoride; from about 24.9 to about 49.7 percent by weight of hydrogen peroxide; and from about 49.6 to about 74.5 percent by weight of water.

Abstract: A pre-treatment method for improving the growth of hemi-spherical grains (HSGs) on a semiconductor structure by removing etching residue before forming a capacitor storage node having the HSGs. The pre-treatment method includes dry-etching a material layer formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate to form a storage node pattern on the semiconductor substrate. Multiple ashing sequences are then performed on the semiconductor structure using an etching gas, followed by a stripping step using H2SO4 to remove any residue remaining on the semiconductor structure after the multiple ashing sequences. The semiconductor structure is then cleaned with an ammonium peroxide mixture (APM), and HSGs are thereafter grown on capacitor storage nodes of the storage node pattern.