Method of cleaning slurry remnants after the completion of a chemical-mechanical polish process

摘要

A method for effectively cleaning the slurry remnants left on a polishing pad after the completion of a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) process is provided. This method is able to substantially thoroughly clean away all of the slurry remnants left on the polishing pad. In the method of the invention, the first step is to prepare a cleaning agent which is a mixture of H2O2, deionized water, an acid solution, and an alkaline solution mixed to a predetermined ratio. The cleaning agent is subsequently directed to a nozzle formed in the pad dresser. This allows the cleaning agent to be jetted forcibly onto the slurry remnants on the polishing pad so as to clean the slurry remnants away from the polishing pad. The cleaning agent can be provided with predetermined ratios for various kinds of slurries so that the cleaning agent can be adjusted to be either acid or alkaline in nature. This can allow an increase in the repellent force between the particles of the slurry remnants and the underlying polishing pad that is caused by the so-called zeta potential, thus allowing the slurry remnants to be more easily removed from the polishing pad.