Process for post contact-etch clean

摘要

A method is provided for cleaning a semiconductor topography having one or more contact openings etched through a dielectric layer formed on a substrate. The method substantially eliminates unfilled contacts and reduces contact defects. Generally, the method involves: (i) heating the substrate in a processing chamber to a predetermined temperature; (ii) generating a plasma upstream of the process chamber using a microwave generator and a process gas comprising nitrogen and hydrogen or argon and helium; and (iii) introducing the plasma into the process chamber to clean the semiconductor topography. As the clean is accomplished substantially without the use of an organic solvent, galvanic corrosion of contacts subsequently formed in the contact openings is substantially eliminated. Other embodiments are also described.