Abstract: A polishing method is provided which simultaneously supplies both a polishing fluid and a conditioning fluid to a polishing pad, while a substrate is in moving contact with the polishing pad.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that remove a scrubber brush from contact with a wafer surface prior to slowing down the scrubber brush's rotational rate. The scrubbing method may include rotating a scrubber brush at a non-reduced rate, while the scrubber brush is in contact with the wafer and removing the scrubber brush from contact with the wafer while rotating the scrubber brush at the non-reduced rate. The scrubbing apparatus has a controller programmed to perform the scrubbing method.

Abstract: Cu metallization is treated to reduce defects and effect passivation by removing a thin surface layer or removing corrosion stains, subsequent to CMP and barrier layer removal, employing a cleaning composition comprising deionized water, an acid and ammonium hydroxide and/or an amine. Embodiments include removing up to about 100 Å of the Cu metallization surface in a damascene opening by sequentially treating the exposed Cu surface with: an optional corrosion inhibitor; a solution having a pH of about 4 to about 11 and containing an acid, ammonium hydroxide and/or an amine, and deionized water; and a corrosion inhibitor.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: A cleaning solution and method for removing copper contaminants, slurry particles and other contaminants from the polished surfaces of copper interconnect structures are provided. The cleaning solution comprises various combinations of a plurality of the following components: a zeta potential modifier, a pH adjuster, a contamination remover and a corrosion inhibitor. A corrosion inhibitor remover also may be provided to remove the corrosion inhibitor following contamination removal with the cleaning solution. The cleaning solution components may be pre-mixed or the components may be delivered individually, either simultaneously or sequentially in any order, to the surface of a semiconductor wafer during cleaning.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that remove a scrubber brush from contact with a wafer surface prior to slowing down the scrubber brush's rotational rate. The scrubbing method may comprise rotating a scrubber brush at a non-reduced rate, while the scrubber brush is in contact with the wafer and removing the scrubber brush from contact with the wafer while rotating the scrubber brush at the non-reduced rate. The scrubbing apparatus has a controller programmed to perform the scrubbing method.

Abstract: A process for treating a copper or copper alloy substrate surface with a composition and corrosion inhibitor solution to minimize defect formation and surface corrosion, the method including applying a composition including one or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The composition may further comprise a reducing agent and/or corrosion inhibitor. The method may further comprise applying the corrosion inhibitor solution prior to treating the substrate surface with the composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus for reducing particulate contamination during the processing of a substrate. In one embodiment, the step of preheating a substrate in a preheater to a desired temperature. The preheated substrate is transferred from the preheater to a buffer region having a pressure therein that is between about two (2) Torr and about seven hundred and sixty (760) Torr. The preheated substrate is transferred from the buffer region to a reaction chamber. Thermophoretic forces help repel particles away from the substrate surface during substrate transfer.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for reducing particulate contamination during the processing of a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of preheating a substrate in a preheater to a desired temperature. The preheated substrate is transferred from the preheater to a buffer region having a pressure therein that is between about two (2) Torr and about seven hundred and sixty (760) Torr. The preheated substrate is transferred from the buffer region to a reaction chamber. Thermophoretic forces help repel particles away from the substrate surface during substrate transfer.

Abstract: The system and method prepare a gas stream comprising particles at a known concentration using a particle disperser for moving particles from a reservoir of particles into a stream of flowing carrier gas. The electrostatic charges on the particles entrained in the carrier gas are then neutralized or otherwise altered, and the resulting particle-laden gas stream is then diluted to provide an acceptable particle concentration. The diluted gas stream is then split into a calibration stream and the desired output stream. The particles in the calibration stream are detected to provide an indication of the actual size distribution and concentration of particles in the output stream that is supplied to a process chamber being analyzed.