REMOVAL OF SURFACE CONTAMINANTS BY CRYOGENIC AEROSOL JETS

Yoon CN; Kim H; Kim SG; Min BH

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.16, No.1, 96-103, January, 1999

Removal of surface contaminants by various cryogenic aerosol jets has been experimentally investigated. Simplified theoretical consideration of their removal mechanism has been also presented based on the impact power of the aerosol jets. Under atmospheric operation, water vapor and carbon dioxide could make their particles independent of their concentrations in the carrier gas while argon and nitrogen could hardly solidify to their own particles. The cryogenic aerosol jets were very effective in removing both submicron particle contaminants and photoresist films on wafers. The rate of the PR film removal strongly depended on the hardness of the film. Molecular organic films could be also removed with the aerosol jets. In general, the removal of the contaminants depends primarily on the physical impact. The removal rate increased with the mass concentration of the aerosol particles, regardless of their nature. The rate also increased with the impact velocity of the jets which was controlled by either the chamber pressure or the distance between the nozzle tip and the contaminant surface. The cryogenic aerosol-free jet was much less effective than the corresponding aerosol jets but had some effectiveness compared to the noncryogenic one. The thermal shock of the film was, therefore, supposed to have a secondary effect on the contaminant removal.

Keywords:Cryogenic Aerosol Cleaning;Low-Pressure Impactor;Particle Contaminants;Molecular Films;Photoresist;Sublimation

[References]

Endo S, Ohmori T, Fukumoto T, Namba K, "Method of Treating Surface of Substrate with Ice Particles and Hydrogen Peroxide," U.S. Patent, 5,081,068 (1992)
Friedlander SK, "Smoke, Dust and Haze," John-Wiley & Sons, New York, 248 (1977)
Hills MM, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 13(1), 30 (1995)
Hinds WC, "Aerosol Technology," John-Wiley & Sons, New York, 105 (1982)
Ju DU, Chung JH, Kim SG, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 34(3), 346 (1996)
Kashu S, Fuchita E, Manabe T, Hayashi C, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 23, L910 (1984)
McDermott WT, Ockovic RC, Wu JJ, Cooper DW, Schwarz A, Wolfe HL, "Surface Cleaning Using an Argon or Nitrogen Aerosol," U.S. Patent, 5,294,261 (1994)
Nagae A, Satou S, Fukumoto T, Ohmori T, "Incliding Lattice Defect with Ice Particles in Semiconductor Wafer," U.S. Patent, 4,820,650 (1989)
Ohmori T, Fukumoto T, Kato T, Tada M, Kawakuchi T, "Ultra Clean Ice Scrubber Cleaning with Jetting Fine Ice Particles," Semiconductor Cleaning Technology/1989, Ruzyllo, J. and Novak, R.E., eds., Electronics and Dielectrics and Insulation Divisions Proceedings Vol 90-9, The Electrochemical Society, Inc., Pennington (1990)
Liley PE, Thomson GH, Friend DG, Daubert TE, Buck E, "Physical and Chemical Data, 2-135," Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 7th ed., Ed. by Perry, R.H. and Green, D.W. (1997)
Peterson RV, Krone-Schmidt W, "System for Precision Cleaning by Jet Spray," U.S. Patent, 5,315,793 (1994)
Ruzyllo J, Solid State Technol., S1, Mar. (1990)
Skidmore K, Semicond. International, 81, Aug. (1987)
Smith JM, Van Ness HC, "Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics," McGraw-Hill, New York (1987)
Williford JF, "The Method for Removing Particulate Matter," U.S. Patent, 5,364,474 (1994)
Wu JJ, Syverson D, Wagener T, Weygand J, Semicond. Internaional, 113 (1996)
Yoon CN, "Surface Cleaning Process Using Sublimable Solid Particles Jet," M.S. Thesis, Chung Ang University (1997)
Yoon CN, Kim SG, Min BH, "The Effect of Aerosol Sources on the Cleaning Efficiency in Cryogenic Aerosol Cleaning," Submitted to Ind. Eng. Chem., Research (1998)

[Referenced By]

[1] Endo S, Ohmori T, Fukumoto T, Namba K, "Method of Treating Surface of Substrate with Ice Particles and Hydrogen Peroxide," U.S. Patent, 5,081,068 (1992)

[2] Friedlander SK, "Smoke, Dust and Haze," John-Wiley & Sons, New York, 248 (1977)

[3] Hills MM, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 13(1), 30 (1995)

[4] Hinds WC, "Aerosol Technology," John-Wiley & Sons, New York, 105 (1982)

[5] Ju DU, Chung JH, Kim SG, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 34(3), 346 (1996)

[6] Kashu S, Fuchita E, Manabe T, Hayashi C, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 23, L910 (1984)

[7] McDermott WT, Ockovic RC, Wu JJ, Cooper DW, Schwarz A, Wolfe HL, "Surface Cleaning Using an Argon or Nitrogen Aerosol," U.S. Patent, 5,294,261 (1994)

[8] Nagae A, Satou S, Fukumoto T, Ohmori T, "Incliding Lattice Defect with Ice Particles in Semiconductor Wafer," U.S. Patent, 4,820,650 (1989)

[9] Ohmori T, Fukumoto T, Kato T, Tada M, Kawakuchi T, "Ultra Clean Ice Scrubber Cleaning with Jetting Fine Ice Particles," Semiconductor Cleaning Technology/1989, Ruzyllo, J. and Novak, R.E., eds., Electronics and Dielectrics and Insulation Divisions Proceedings Vol 90-9, The Electrochemical Society, Inc., Pennington (1990)

[10] Liley PE, Thomson GH, Friend DG, Daubert TE, Buck E, "Physical and Chemical Data, 2-135," Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 7th ed., Ed. by Perry, R.H. and Green, D.W. (1997)

[11] Peterson RV, Krone-Schmidt W, "System for Precision Cleaning by Jet Spray," U.S. Patent, 5,315,793 (1994)

[12] Ruzyllo J, Solid State Technol., S1, Mar. (1990)

[13] Skidmore K, Semicond. International, 81, Aug. (1987)

[14] Smith JM, Van Ness HC, "Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics," McGraw-Hill, New York (1987)

[15] Williford JF, "The Method for Removing Particulate Matter," U.S. Patent, 5,364,474 (1994)

[16] Wu JJ, Syverson D, Wagener T, Weygand J, Semicond. Internaional, 113 (1996)

[17] Yoon CN, "Surface Cleaning Process Using Sublimable Solid Particles Jet," M.S. Thesis, Chung Ang University (1997)

[18] Yoon CN, Kim SG, Min BH, "The Effect of Aerosol Sources on the Cleaning Efficiency in Cryogenic Aerosol Cleaning," Submitted to Ind. Eng. Chem., Research (1998)