Wafer surface that facilitates particle removal

摘要

Wafer surfaces of the present invention comprise semiconductor and dielectric regions formed in such a way that allows the wafer surface to wet so that residual particles can be removed therefrom during a wet clean. The wafer surface comprises exposed regions of dielectric and semiconductor after a CMP removal process. The percentage of the total wafer surface area that is semiconductor after CMP is less than or equal to than a predetermined fraction, and the remainder of the wafer surface area comprises dielectric. Also, the regions of semiconductor on the wafer surface have a maximum shortest dimension. The combined percentage of semiconductor in the total wafer surface area and the maximum shortest dimensions of each semiconductor region are small enough so that the wafer surface is hydrophilic enough to wet.