RCA-1 and RCA-2 Wafer Clean

Purpose:
To remove all foreign matter from the surface of the silicon wafers (dirt, scum, silicon dust, etc.)
prior to processing. This procedure entails the use of two solutions which contain hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2) to remove residual organic, ionic and metallic contamination left behind by the
conventional solvent and HF cleaning procedure.

Equipment:
Hotplates

Chemicals and Supplies:

Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Hydrofluoric Acid (HF)
Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)
Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)
Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH)
DI Water
Wafer Tweezers
600 ml Beakers

General Instructions and Precautions:

The quantities for the chemicals given in this lab are for processing 2" circular or 2" square
wafers in 600ml beakers. For processing larger or smaller wafers the proportions for the
chemicals will need to be adjusted accordingly.

1. Use only beakers, wafer carriers, etc. labeled for initial cleaning.
2. Wear all protective gear (gloves, face shield, and apron) when mixing and handling the
solution and chemicals described below. The strong acids (HF, HCl), base (NH4OH) and
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in their concentrated form can produce severe burns.
HANDLE WITH CARE and mix all solutions in a fume hood to avoid breathing any
fumes. The dilute solutions pose a less severe burn hazard but still wear protective gear
and exercise caution in using. Take particular precautions with HF solutions. Even in
dilute form, HF can cause severe burning.
3. NEVER MIX AN ACID AND A SOLVENT. NEVER HEAT AN ACID AND A
SOLVENT ON THE SAME HOT PLATE because the fumes can react violently in
certain cases.
4. Pour chemicals slowly. Make sure you have the right chemicals. ALWAYS POUR ACID
INTO WATER, NEVER WATER INTO ACID.
5. Unless directed otherwise, used chemicals should be poured SLOWLY into a waste
bottle with the same name. (At least the same type. i.e. solvents, acids, etc.) If one is not
available, pour used chemicals into a rinsed empty bottle and label Hazardous Waste -
Chemical Name.
 6. NEVER heat acetone or any other solvent on the same hot plate with a peroxide solution.
The heated solvent produces a vapor that will burn readily while the peroxide provides
copious quantities of oxygen - a situation ready for an explosion or fire.
7. Both the hydrogen peroxide solutions decompose rapidly evolving large quantities of gas
even when cold. Mix these solutions fresh before each use and do so only in a hood. DO
NOT STORE these solutions in the hood since they have an extremely short life, less
than 1 day at room temperature and less than 30 minutes at the elevated temperatures at
which they are used. Dispose of properly by rinsing them down the drain with plenty of
water (not DI).

Procedure:

1. If fingerprints or other heavy residue appears on the wafer surface, swab it clean with a
Q-tip dipped in TCE. (This step can possibly be omitted with new wafers.)
2. Immerse in warm TCE for 5 minutes. (Room temperature TCE can be used for new
wafers.) Pour used TCE slowly into the waste TCE bottle.
3. Immerse in acetone for 3 minutes. This immersion removes the TCE residue and acts as a
further cleaning solvent. Pour used acetone into the waste solvent bottle.
4. Immerse in methanol for 3 minutes. This rinse removes the acetone residue. Pour used
methanol slowly into the waste solvent bottle.
5. Rinse in running DI water for 3 minutes.

Steps 6-9 are used to remove residual organic contamination left over from the
solvent cleaning or any other previous processing.

6. Prepare a fresh solution of H2O/H2O2/NH4OH (5 parts, 1 part, 1part) in the following

way:
1. Heat a mixture of 65 ml NH4OH (27%) and 325 ml of DI H2O to 70 5 C in a
PYREX beaker on the hot plate. (This takes about 10 minutes.)
2. Remove beaker from hot plate and add 65 ml of H2O2 (30%). The solution will
bubble vigorously after 1-2 minutes when it is ready for use.
7. Soak wafer for 15 minutes in the "ammonia - peroxide" solution, then place entire lot
(wafer and solution) under running DI water tap.
8. Change water several times before removing wafer. DO NOT remove wafer through
unbroken water surface except under a running DI water tap. Unbroken water surfaces
are prone to organic contamination which may redeposit on the cleaned wafer.

Steps 9-12 are used to remove the thin oxide layer grown during the "ammonia-
peroxide" cleaning procedure.

9. Perform the water break test and also test to verify that the wafer surfaces are
hydrophilic.
10. Prepare a dilute HF solution (2.5%) with 25 ml 49% HF and 475 ml DI water. NOTE:
Always use polypropylene beakers and graduated cylinders for etchants containing HF
because HF etches glass!
11. Soak wafer two minutes in this dilute HF solution.
12. Immerse entire lot under DI water tap and perform several changes. Perform the water
break test and verify that the wafer surfaces are now hydrophobic. Bare silicon is
hydrophobic. Silicon containing a silicon dioxide layer is hydrophilic.

Steps 13- 15 are used to remove ionic and metallic contamination.

13. Prepare a fresh solution of H2O/H2O2/HCl (4 parts, 1 part, 1 part) in the following way:

1. Heat a mixture of 65 ml HCl (37%) and 260 ml DI H2O to 70 5 C in a PYREX

beaker on the hot plate.
2. Remove beaker from hot plate and add 65 ml of H2O2(30%). This solution also
begins to bubble vigorously within 1-2 minutes.
14. Soak wafer for 15 minutes in the "chloride-peroxide" solution then place the entire lot
(wafer and solution) under running DI water tap.
15. Perform several changes of DI water. This takes 3-5 minutes.
16. Perform the water-break test and verify the wafer surfaces again are hydrophilic. If test
fails go back to step 13.
17. Rinse wafer in running DI water.
18. Blow dry with filtered nitrogen and proceed with next process.

Table of Proportions for Initial Wafer Clean

2" Wafer 3" Wafer 4" Wafer

Processing Processing Processing

NH4OH 50 60 65 70 75 100 mL 200 mL

(1 part) mL mL mL mL mL

Base DI (5 parts) 250 300 325 350 375 500 1000

Clean H2O2 (1 part) 50 60 65 70 75 100 200

TOTAL 350 420 455 490 525 700 1400

(mL)

HCl (1 part) 50 60 65 70 75 125 230

Acid DI (4 parts) 200 240 260 280 300 500 920

Clean H2O2 (1 part) 50 60 65 70 75 125 230

TOTAL(mL) 300 360 390 420 450 750 1380