Patent · US Expired

Pre-thermal treatment cleaning process

US5712198A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
12References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 7, 1995
Grant dateJan 27, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/974
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Process for heat-treating a silicon wafer which includes the steps of contacting the surface of the silicon wafer with an aqueous solution containing hydrofluoric acid to remove metals from the wafer surface, contacting the hydrofluoric acid treated wafers with ozonated water to grow a hydrophilic oxide layer on the surface of the silicon wafer, and heating the ozonated water treated wafers to a temperature of at least about 300.degree. C. for a duration of at least about 1 second. The concentration of each of iron, chromium, calcium, titanium, cobalt, manganese, zinc and vanadium, on the surface of the silicon wafer at the initiation of the heating being less than 1.times.10.sup.9 atoms/cm.sup.2.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.