Cleaning composition and process for cleaning semiconductor devices and/or tooling during manufacturing thereof

Abstract

Cleaning solutions and processes for cleaning semiconductor devices or semiconductor tooling during manufacture thereof generally include contacting the semiconductor devices or semiconductor tooling with an acidic aqueous cleaning solution free of a fluorine containing compound, the acidic aqueous cleaning solution including at least one antioxidant and at least one non-oxidizing acid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for cleaning a semiconductor device or tooling during manufacture thereof, the process comprising:
 contacting the semiconductor device or tooling with an acidic aqueous solution that is free of a fluorine containing compound for a period of time and at a temperature effective to remove residues from the semiconductor device or tooling, wherein the acidic aqueous solution comprises at least one antioxidant and at least one non-oxidizing acid.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one antioxidant comprises ascorbic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, erythorbic acid, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-oxidizing comprises sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydroiodic acid, hydrobromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid, methane sulfonic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, butyric acid, propionic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time will range from about 10 seconds to about 60 minutes and the temperature from 10° C. to 100° C. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the residue comprises compounds containing a rare earth element of the lanthanide series. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the rare earth element is ceria. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor tool is a chemical mechanical planarization pad. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the antioxidant is ascorbic acid in an amount from 0.5 to 10% (w/w) and the non-oxidizing acid is sulfuric acid at greater than 0% (w/w) to 10% (w/w), wherein the aqueous cleaning solution has a pH less than 5. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous cleaning solution further comprises a surfactant, a pH buffer, a chelating agent, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the surfactant comprises a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant, a water soluble perfluorocarboxylic acid, a perfluorocarboxylic acid sulfate, heptafluorobutyric acid. heptafluorobutyric sulfate, or mixtures thereof.