Claims
- 1. A method of cleaning a frontside of a wafer and etching a backside of the wafer, comprising:
(1) scrubbing a frontside of a wafer positioned on a support mechanism; (2) directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer positioned on the support mechanism; and (3) directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer positioned on the support mechanism; wherein the etching fluid etches a material from the backside of the wafer, and wherein the non-etching fluid does not etch the material from the front side of the wafer.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing steps (1) and (3) simultaneously.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing steps (1), (2) and (3) simultaneously.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein scrubbing a frontside of a wafer comprises scrubbing the frontside with a scrubber brush.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises removing particulate contaminants from the backside of the wafer.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises directing etching fluid that would cause damage to devices on the frontside of the wafer if allowed to contact the same undiluted.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises etching ashed photoresist.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises removing material from a prior non-metallic deposition.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises etching metallic structures.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein etching metallic structures comprises etching copper.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises dispensing etching fluid via a spray nozzle.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises dispensing etching fluid via a plurality of spray nozzles.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein directing an etching fluid to a backside of the wafer comprises dispensing etching fluid comprising an acid mixed with an oxidant.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises diluting the etching fluid with the cleaning fluid.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises rinsing etching fluid away from the front side.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises directing cleaning fluid adapted to clean the frontside without etching a material the etching fluid etches.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises directing cleaning fluid adapted to etch a material the etching fluid etches but at a slower rate than a rate at which the etching fluid etches the material.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein directing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises dispensing the cleaning fluid via a spray nozzle.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein dispensing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises dispensing a cleaning fluid comprising ammonium hydroxide and DI water.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein dispensing a cleaning fluid to the frontside of the wafer comprises dispensing a surfactant solution.
- 21. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing step (2) only while performing step (3).
- 22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
(4) directing a cleaning fluid to the backside of the wafer.
- 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising beginning to perform step (4) only after beginning to perform step (2).
- 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising beginning to perform step (4) only after completing step (2).
- 25. The method of claim 1, further comprising coordinating a timing of the performance of steps (1), (2) and (3) via a common controller.
- 26. The method of claim 25, wherein coordinating a timing of the performance of steps (1), (2) and (3) via a common controller comprises using the controller to prevent step (2) from being performed except while step (3) is being performed.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/636,779 filed Aug. 11, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60148987 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09636779 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10456723 |
Jun 2003 |
US |