Post-CMP Cleans

Post-CMP Cleans

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is a critical enabling technology in advanced integrated circuit manufacturing. Defects and residues either deposited or formed during the planarization process that can adversely affect product yield are subsequently removed in the post-CMP cleaning step. Aqueous formulations employed for post-CMP (PCMP) cleans are designed to protect the planarized metals and dielectrics preventing metal corrosion while providing a smooth defect free wafer surface.

BEOL (Cu): Comprehensive Post-CMP Cleans for Advanced Copper Interconnect Integration

Advanced BEOL cleans solutions deliver comprehensive particle, organic residue, and metallic contamination removal for copper interconnect applications across advanced nodes, mature nodes, and advanced packaging. Designed to support evolving integration schemes involving Cu, Co, Ru, Ta/TaN, and ultra-low-k materials, these formulations combine broad material compatibility, effective corrosion control, and low defectivity to ensure superior wafer quality and high manufacturing yield. Through advanced surface modification, optimized chelation technologies, and copper protection mechanisms, the portfolio enables robust process integration while maintaining low cost-of-ownership and high-volume manufacturing readiness.

PCMPSolv™ 5600 Series Post-CMP Copper Interconnect Cleans

PCMPSolv™ 5600 Series is a high volume, post-CMP copper interconnect cleans required in the manufacturing of advanced semiconductor devices. It features high pH formulations for Cu BEOL and can be used with various barrier slurries.

It offers the following capabilities: 

•  Excellent particle removal capability
• Advanced barrier metals and dielectric compatibility, including Co, Ta/TaN
• Compatible with ULK dielectrics
• Improved Cu static etch and lower surface roughness
• Contains Copper Oxidation Barrier (COB) functionality
• Excellent capability to remove BTA and other organics
• TMAH free
• Enhanced cost-of-ownership with high dilution design

PCMPSolv™ 5700 Series Advanced Post-CMP Copper Interconnect Cleans

PCMPSolv™ 5700 Series is a high-volume post-CMP copper interconnect cleans platform designed for advanced semiconductor devices across advanced nodes, and mature nodes. The series features optimized chemistries for Cu BEOL processes that provide comprehensive removal of particles, organic residues, and challenging RuOx contaminants while maintaining excellent copper integrity and broad compatibility with next-generation barrier materials.

It offers the following capabilities:

• Excellent particle removal capability through advanced chelation and surface modification technologies.
• Broad compatibility with advanced barrier materials, including Co, Ru, and Ta/TaN.
• Compatible with ultra-low-k (ULK) dielectric materials.
• Superior RuOx particle removal performance for advanced interconnect integration.
• Copper Oxidation Barrier (COB) functionality to preserve Cu integrity.
• Low Cu static etch and reduced surface roughness.
• Excellent removal of BTA and other organic residues.
• TMAH-free formulation for improved sustainability and operational flexibility.
• Enhanced chemical stability and high-volume manufacturing readiness.
• Cost-efficient operation with optimized dilution capability and low cost-of-ownership.

PCMPSolv™ 6000 Series Post-CMP Copper Interconnect Cleans

PCMPSolv™ 6000 Series is a family of advanced post-CMP cleans solutions dedicated to advanced packaging applications and panel level packaging applications. The high-pH formulations deliver superior particle and metallic residue removal while maintaining excellent copper compatibility for enhanced device performance and yield.

It offers the following capabilities:

• Superior removal of particles and metallic residues for advanced packaging applications.
• Surface passivation technology to prevent abrasive and particle re-deposition.
• Excellent copper compatibility with low defectivity and corrosion control.
• High-pH formulations optimized advanced packaging integration schemes.
• Enhanced wafer quality, device reliability, and manufacturing yield.
• Cost-efficient operation with robust process performance for high-volume manufacturing.

MEOL (Co, W): Defect-Free Wafers with Optimized TEOS & SiN Performance Using a Two-Step Approach

Superior wafer cleaning with broad material compatibility across W, Co, and SiN is achieved through a two-step cleaning approach. Advanced surface modification technology prevents defect re-deposition, while optimized chemistries deliver effective corrosion control and high yield performance, enabling defect-free wafer surfaces for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

PCMPSolv™ 3200 Series Post-CMP Tungsten Interconnect Cleans

PCMPSolv™ 3200 Series is a family of high-volume manufacturing post-CMP cleans solutions designed for tungsten interconnect applications in advanced semiconductor devices. The series supports both BEOL and MEOL processes, including Co and TiN integration schemes, and delivers superior wafer cleanliness, broad material compatibility, corrosion control, and low defectivity performance through a complementary buffing and brushing cleaning approach.

It offers the following capabilities:

• Effective removal of strongly adhering particles and post-CMP residues.
• Removal of re-deposited defects through a complementary buffing and brushing cleaning strategy.
• Broad material compatibility across W, Co, TiN, and other advanced integration materials.
• Excellent compatibility with TEOS and silicon nitride (SiN) films.
• Low defectivity performance for improved wafer quality and manufacturing yield.
• Advanced surface modification technology to prevent defect re-deposition.
• Optimized corrosion control for sensitive metal surfaces, including Co.
• Effective removal of TiO₂ debris generated from TiN barrier processes.
• Flexible process integration across BEOL and MEOL applications.
• Low cost-of-ownership through optimized chemistry performance and dilution flexibility.
• Proven high-volume manufacturing performance from mature to advanced technology nodes.

FEOL (Ceria, Poly-Si, Silica): For Logic and Memory Layers, Including 3D-NAND

Novel formulations for FEOL cleaning deliver effective slurry and defect removal with minimal material loss, broad compatibility, and superior wafer quality for logic and memory layers, including 3D-NAND.

PCMPSolv™ 2000 Series Post-Ceria Slurry CMP Cleans

PCMPSolv™ 2000 Series is a family of advanced post-CMP cleans solutions designed for semiconductor wafers processed with ceria slurries in FEOL, MEOL, and memory array applications.

It offers the following capabilities:

• Effective removal of ceria slurry particles and post-CMP residues.
• Minimization of residual cerium ions for improved wafer quality.
• Broad compatibility with conventional and next-generation ceria slurries, including both positively and negatively charged particles.
• Low defectivity performance with excellent material compatibility across advanced device applications.
• Acidic pH formulation optimized for post-ceria CMP cleaning.
• Elimination of traditional wet bench cleaning steps such as SPM or HF.
• Improved sustainability and low cost-of-ownership through simplified process integration and reduced chemical usage.