| 摘要 |
A method is provided processing workpieces including etching metal from a workpiece to define metal structures on the workpiece and transporting the workpiece through a controlled environment passage between an etch chamber and a wet clean module after the etching. A wet cleaning and drying of the workpiece is performed in the wet clean module to remove metal etch residues from the workpiece. The workpiece is transported through the controlled environment passage to an annealing chamber after wet cleaning. An annealing is performed and the metal structures are capped before exposing the workpiece to ambient atmosphere after etching, wet cleaning, and annealing. The capping may be performed in situ with the annealing in a CVD chamber. The metal etch process may include performing a timed etch for etching back a portion of a metal layer followed by a slow to endpoint etch with an endpoint signal, followed by a timed over etch. The workpiece is transferred from the etch chamber to the wet clean module for the wet cleaning after the such a process while maintaining a non-oxidizing atmosphere surrounding the workpiece so as to inhibit corrosion of the metal structures prior to the wet cleaning of the workpiece. The timed etch, the slow to endpoint etch, and the timed over etch is performed in three separate chambers. Or, the timed etch is performed in a first etch chamber and the slow to endpoint etch and the timed over etch are performed in a second etch chamber.
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