Nano-Particle Detection, Identification and Concentration Determination in Liquids for sub-10 nm Technology Nodes

摘要

Exposure to aqueous solutions and liquid chemicals is inevitable for semiconductor wafers as they pass through the various stages of a process line. Given the aggressive shrinking in features sizes of upcoming technology nodes, wafers are more prone to experience reduced yields due to process liquid-borne particle contamination. The maximum tolerable contaminant particle size scales roughly as the half-pitch dimension of a given technology node. Particles can be detected with relative ease when they already reside on the semiconductor surface, however their chemical makeup can only be determined using expensive EDS analysis. The most effective approach to preserve process yield is to avoid particles getting onto the wafer in the first place. As such particle detection in process liquids is of great concern to the semiconductor industry as it can play an important role to impact the yield.