Abstract: Provided are a purification method and purification apparatus for an alkaline treatment liquid for a semiconductor substrate, which use adsorption purification means that can purify various alkaline treatment liquids to be used for treating semiconductor substrates for various purposes so as to have an ultrahigh purity, in particular, an Fe concentration in a ppq region, and that is excellent in chemical resistance and mechanical strength. The adsorption purification means is purification means for an alkaline treatment liquid for treating a semiconductor substrate for various purposes at the time of producing, for example, a semiconductor substrate or a semiconductor device.

Abstract: An electronic device substrate, such as a semiconductor silicon wafer or a liquid crystal glass substrate, with a surface which has just undergone cleaning treatment and which is covered with a clean oxide or nitride film which will readily adsorb organic contaminants is treated with an aqueous solution containing choline, or alternatively a similar substrate which has not been cleaned is treated with a treatment solution comprising a SC-1 solution to which choline has been added. Following drying, a surface concentration of choline of between 5×1010 molecules˜7×1012 molecules/cm2 is adsorbed onto the substrate surface. This treatment suppresses organic contamination of the substrate from the atmosphere. As a result, the surface carbon concentration of an electronic device substrate can be suppressed to a value of no more than approximately 3×1013 atoms/cm2, even for manufacturing processes carried out in typical clean rooms with no chemical filters installed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing an organic film, such as a resist film, from a substrate surface are provided wherein a treatment liquid containing dissolved ozone, and preferably formed from liquid ethylene or propylene carbonate, or both, is contacted with the substrate having the organic film, and the organic film removed, wherein the apparatus contains (A) a treatment liquid delivery device, (B) a film contact device, (C) a liquid circulation device and (D) an ozone dissolution device.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing an organic film such as a resist film from a substrate surface are provided. These are very safe even at high temperatures, and use a treatment liquid which can be recycled and reused. A treatment liquid typically formed from liquid ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or a liquid mixture of these two compounds, and in particular such a treatment liquid containing dissolved ozone, is contacted with a substrate with an organic film, and the organic film is removed.

Abstract: A method of removing surface-deposited contaminants, comprising bringing an ozone-containing treating solution into contact with the surface of a treating target on which contaminants have deposited. The ozone-containing treating solution comprises an organic solvent having a partition coefficient to ozone in a gas, of 0.6 or more, and ozone having been dissolved in the solvent. Contaminants having deposited on the surfaces of various articles including substrates for electronic devices, such as semiconductor substrates and substrates for liquid crystal display devices can be removed by room-temperature and short-time treatment in a high safety and a good efficiency.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing an organic film such as a resist film from a substrate surface are provided. These are very safe even at high temperatures, and use a treatment liquid which can be recycled and reused. A treatment liquid typically formed from liquid ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or a liquid mixture of these two compounds, and in particular such a treatment liquid containing dissolved ozone, is contacted with a substrate with an organic film, and the organic film is removed.

Abstract: An electronic device substrate, such as a semiconductor silicon wafer or a liquid crystal glass substrate, with a surface which has just undergone cleaning treatment and which is covered with a clean oxide or nitride film which will readily adsorb organic contaminants is treated with an aqueous solution containing choline, or alternatively a similar substrate which has not been cleaned is treated with a treatment solution comprising a SC-1 solution to which choline has been added. Following drying, a surface concentration of choline of between 5×1010 molecules˜7×1012 molecules/cm2 is adsorbed onto the substrate surface. This treatment suppresses organic contamination of the substrate from the atmosphere. As a result, the surface carbon concentration of an electronic device substrate can be suppressed to a value of no more than approximately 3×1013 atoms/cm2, even for manufacturing processes carried out in typical clean rooms with no chemical filters installed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing an organic film such as a resist film from a substrate surface are provided. These are very safe even at high temperatures, and use a treatment liquid which can be recycled and reused. A treatment liquid typically formed from liquid ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or a liquid mixture of these two compounds, and in particular such a treatment liquid containing dissolved ozone, is contacted with a substrate with an organic film, and the organic film is removed.

Abstract: A process of cleaning the interior of a semiconductor substrate containing metallic impurities therein is provided. The semiconductor substrate is heated, with one side or the both sides thereof being in contact with a melt of a metal or an inorganic salt, at a high temperature such that the melt does not react with these semiconductor and the semiconductor is not melted. By this process, the impurities present inside the substrate are removed out of the substrate and the interior thereof is cleaned.

Abstract: A method of removing metallic impurities diffused in a semiconductor substrate, comprising, the semiconductor-substrate-heating step of heating a semiconductor substrate to at least 200.degree. C. or higher and promoting the release and rediffusion of metallic impurities diffused in the semiconductor substrate, and the metallic-impurity-removing step of dissolving the metallic impurities arrived at the surface of the semiconductor substrate with a chemical agent and removing them from the substrate.

Abstract: A multifunctional air filter module includes a filter case having an air introduction side opening and an air discharge side opening and a pleated fabric air filter element containing an activated carbon. The periphery of the pleated filter element is fixed in the filter case without clearance therebetween. At least one fabric filter element composed of a fabric including an activated carbon having a strong base, KMnO.sub.4 or ZnCl.sub.2, a fabric of a cation exchange fiber or a fabric of an anion exchange fiber, is simply placed in air introduction side grooves formed by pleats of the fixed air filter element, and is replaceable and can be regenerated. The air filter module is compact and can reduce the volume of a space occupied thereby in a semiconductor plant. Flexibility of installation thus is provided and the range of the use thereof is widened. Multifunctionality is increased easily merely by addition of replaceable filter element fabrics.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for cleaning a silicon wafer with a cleaning fluid, comprising 35 to 65% by weight of HNO.sub.3, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of HF, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of HCl, 0.002 to 0.1% by weight of a surface-active agent, and water. The silicon wafer cleaning method involves comprising treating the surface of a silicon wafer with said cleaning fluid. According to the present method, etching of the silicon wafer surface can be carried out simply with the amount of the etching being controlled to several tens .ANG., and particularly about 20 to 30 .ANG., and without damage to the smoothness of the surface. In addition, contamination with gold and other heavy metals of the order of 10.sup.12 atoms/cm.sup.2 can be decreased to not more than 1/100.

Abstract: A method of examining surface defects of silicon wafer surfaces, comprising (A) preparing a semiconductor treating solution containing an impurity element labelled with a radioactive isotope; (B) bringing a silicon wafer whose crystal surface is laid bare, into contact with the treating solution to obtain a specimen wafer on which the labelled impurity has been adsorbed; (C) recording in a photostimulable phosphor layer a data of radioactivity intensible distribution present in the surface of the specimen wafer; the pattern being recorded as a latent image; and (D) reading as a visual image the data of radioactivity intensity distribution recorded in the photostimulable phosphor layer, to observe the radioactivity intensity distribution shown on the image, whereby the distribution of the surface defects being detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silicon wafer cleaning fluid, comprising 35 to 65% by weight of HNO.sub.3, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of HF, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of HCl, 0.002 to 0.1% by weight of a surface-active agent, and water and a silicon wafer cleaning method, comprising treating the surface of a silicon wafer with said cleaning fluid. According to the present invention, etching of the silicon wafer surface can be carried out simply with the amount of the etching being controlled to several tens A, and particularly about 20 to 30 .ANG., and the smoothness of the surface is not damaged. In addition, contamination with gold and other heavy metals of the order of 10.sup.12 atoms/cm.sup.2 can be decreased to not more than 1/100.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is used for total reflection fluorescent X-ray analysis on a liquid drop-like sample containing very small amounts of impurities. The apparatus comprises a heat-resistant thin sheet containing an element or elements, as a principal component, not detected on total reflection fluorescent X-ray analysis and an x-ray source directing an X-ray as an incident X-ray at a liquid drop-like sample put on the sheet and containing very small amounts of impurities whereby the liquid drop-like sample is evaporated to a dried solid for the total reflection fluorescent X-ray analysis to be performed there.

Abstract: The present treatment method of cleaning is characterized by etching the surfaces of a plastic molded item, particularly a fluororesin molded item by using a strong alkaline solution of an organic strong base such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide. According to the method, impurities absorbed into the surfaces of the molded item by chemical treatment can be eliminated effectively within a short period of time.

Abstract: A combination of a first surface treating solution comprising an inorganic or organic alkali such as ammonia or a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, water and a second surface treating solution of ultra-pure water, at least one of the first and second surface treating solutions containing as a complexing agent a compound having one or more phosphonic acid groups in the molecule and showing chelating ability, or an oxidized form thereof, or polyphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, is effective for making semiconductor surfaces free from harmful metallic impurities such as Fe, Al, Zn, etc.

Abstract: There is disclosed a container which conveys a semiconductor wafer and in which the face of the wafer is chemically treated. The container comprises a receiving platelike member and a cover made from a transparent or semitransparent plastic. The platelike member is made from a hydrophobic plastic such as a fluorocarbon resin and provides a quite small area in contact with the sample of the wafer to support it. Tonguelike portions extend steeply upwardly around the sample. When the cover is closed, the tonguelike portions are thrown toward the center of the container, bent, and pressed against the side surface of the sample. The container locks the sample without making contact with the face of the sample. The top cover is fitted over the platelike member to maintain the airtightness. To assure the airtightness, the container is equipped with an O ring and a tightening implement.

Abstract: A process tube that is impermeable to impurities for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. The process tube is made of sintered silicon carbide and it may optionally be infiltrated with elemental silicon. The inner surface of the process tube includes a layer of high density silicon carbide to prevent diffusion of impurity species through the walls of the process tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing silicon single crystal from melted silicon by the pull-up process using a seed crystal, wherein at least a portion of a device in contact with the melted silicon includes a layer of silicon nitride precipitated from gaseous phase and comprising 20% or above of .beta. phase, or comprising 80% or above of .alpha. phase whose crystal grains have grain diameters of 5 .mu.m or above at a ratio of 10% or more.