Optimization of the physical cleaning condition for nanotechnology

Abstract Physical cleaning with super-diluted chemicals at lower temperatures becomes a key technology for nanotechnology. This paper discusses the optimization of brush scrubbing, which is one of the most popular physical cleaning methods for a defect-free surface. The particle adhesion force was analyzed by a friction force monitoring system and the AFM scratch test. The experimental results showed that an increase in the friction force with the brush pressure and velocity led to decreased contamination and an increase in the total number of scratches. More specifically, the removal force per particle without any scratches on a wafer surface ranged from 10 −10  N to 10 −7  N.