METHOD FOR CLEANING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER SURFACES BY APPLYING PERIODIC SHEAR STRESS TO THE CLEANING SOLUTION

摘要

Systems and methods for cleaning particulate contaminants adhered to wafersurfaces are provided. A cleaning media including dispersed coupling elementssuspended within the cleaning media is applied over a wafer surface. Externalenergy is applied to the cleaning media to generate periodic shear stresses withinthe media. The periodic shear stresses impart momentum and/or drag forces onthe coupling elements causing the coupling elements to interact with the particulatecontaminants to remove the particulate contaminants from the wafer surfaces.