SBIR Phase II: Acoustic Microcavitation Assisted Fine Cleaning of Post-Chemical Mechanical Planarizing (CMP) Wafers

该SBIR第二阶段项目将继续研究从硅片中去除颗粒。 这是一个问题，只能变得更加重要，因为不断发展的电路复杂性要求更大的小型化和多层的“架构”芯片设计。 小型化带来了越来越大的挑战，因为任何尺寸为最小芯片电路特征（即线宽）的三分之一到一半的颗粒都被认为是致命缺陷。 随着线宽变窄，粒子不容忍度相应地变大。 高达40%的硅片废品是由于未去除的颗粒。 更复杂的多层芯片设计进一步加剧了保持超洁净晶片表面的挑战。每一个新的电路“地板”都需要使用化学机械平坦化或抛光（CMP）工艺来恢复晶片的高度平坦度和光滑度。 每个CMP程序都涉及精细的气相二氧化硅浆料，因此会引入新的颗粒。 在晶片处理中通常需要几个CMP操作，并且每个晶片必须在每个操作之后被完美地清洁。本计画旨在开发一种精密清洗装置，仅使用“无声清水”即可快速清洗化学机械研磨后的矽晶圆。 基于声诱导微空化（ACIM），该过程不需要化学品-只有无声的声音和清洁的水。 通过SBIR第二阶段赠款开发的无声和清洁水（SSCW）晶圆清洁剂将不会面临颗粒尺寸方面的传统限制，并且完全环保。

This SBIR Phase II project is to continue the investigation in the removal of particulates from silicon wafers. It is a problem which can only become more important as the evolving circuit complexity demands greater miniaturization and multi-storied 'architectural' chip designs. Miniaturization poses a increasing challenge because any particulate which is one-third to one-half the size of the smallest chip circuit feature (i.e. the line width) is deemed a killer defect. As the line width gets thinner, the particle-intolerance because correspondingly greater. Up to 40% of all silicon wafer rejections are due to unremoved particulates. The challenge of maintaining ultra-clean wafer surfaces is further exacerbated by the more complex, multi-storied chip designs. Each new 'floor' of circuitry requires that a high degree of wafer flatness and smoothness be restored using the chemical mechanical planarizing or polishing (CMP) process. Each CMP procedure involves a fine, fumed silica slurry and therefore introduces new particulates. Several CMP operations are typically necessary in wafer processing and each wafer must be perfectly cleaned after each operation. This project is to develop a precision cleaning unit to rapidly clean post-CMP silicon wafers using only 'Silent Sound and Clean Water'. Based on Acoustic Coaxing Induced Microcavitation (ACIM), the process requires no chemicals--only silent sound and clean water. The Silent Sound and Clean Water (SSCW) wafer cleaner to be developed through this SBIR Phase-II grant will face none of the conventional limitations with regard to particle size and it will be wholly environmentally friendly.