Patent ID: 6537381
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of cleaning a surface of a semiconductor wafer after a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) operation, comprising the steps of:applying a cleaning chemical to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer having a copper metallization line and a copper layer, the copper layer disposed over the copper metallization line, the cleaning chemical transforming the copper layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer into a water soluble copper oxide layer, wherein the cleaning chemical is a solution selected from the group consisting of: H2O2+NH4OH+EDTA+deionized (DI) water; and H2O2+NH4OH+oxalic acid+DI water; scrubbing the surface of the semiconductor wafer having the cleaning chemical with a brush to remove between about 100 angstroms and about 150 angstroms of the copper oxide layer from the surface of the semiconductor wafer; rinsing the semiconductor wafer and the brush with deionized water, to remove the water soluble copper oxide from the surface of the semiconductor wafer and the brush prior to cleaning a second semiconductor wafer, wherein the applying, the scrubbing, and the rinsing steps are performed in a brush box; and leaving the copper oxide layer having a thickness between about 5 angstroms and about 30 angstroms on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.