System and method for cleaning semiconductor fabrication equipment parts

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment discloses a process for cleaning semiconductor fabrication equipment parts with non-metallic surfaces. The process optionally includes providing a semiconductor fabrication part with a non-metallic surface to be cleaned and applying a dilute aqueous solution to remove contamination from the non-metallic surface. The aqueous solution optionally includes dilute amounts of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The dilute amounts would optionally be in the ranges of 0.5-1.5% wt. hydrofluoric acid, 0.1-0.5%wt. nitric acid and 1-10%wt. hydrogen peroxide.

1 . A cleaning process for parts comprising: 
 providing a part with a non-metallic surface to be cleaned;    applying a dilute aqueous solution to remove contamination from the non-metallic surface wherein the solution consists of 0.5-1.5% wt. hydrofluoric acid, 0.1-0.5% wt. nitric acid and 1-10% wt. hydrogen peroxide.    
     
     
         2 . The process as recited in  claim 1  wherein the concentration of H 2 O 2  is no greater than about 5% wt.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said dilute aqueous solution comprises 1.25 weight percent hydrofluoric acid 3.0 weight percent hydrogen peroxide, and 0.125 weight percent nitric acid.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said part is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (quartz), ceramics, polysilicon and silicon.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein said part is formed from a ceramic selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 rinsing the part; and    drying the part.    
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said part is a semiconductor fabrication part.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein said part is formed of material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (quartz), silicon, polysilicon and ceramics.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein said part is formed from a ceramic selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride and silicon carbide.