I. Relationship Between Process Nodes and Temperature Control

1.Mature Process Nodes (≥28nm)For SC-1, the temperature is typically controlled at 70-75°C with a processing time of 5-10 minutes, where high temperature accelerates the decomposition of organic contaminants.For SC-2, the temperature remains at 70-75°C to enhance metal ion complexation capability via high temperature, though excessive temperature must be avoided to prevent loss of thermal oxide films.

2.Advanced Process Nodes (≤14nm)Temperature reduction is required to minimize thermal stress. SC-1 temperature can be lowered to 30-55°C, balancing cleaning efficacy and thermal damage by shortening processing time (e.g., 30 seconds to 2 minutes).SC-2 temperature is controlled at 50-60°C, combined with low-concentration solutions (e.g., diluted 10-fold) to reduce etching of thin films.

II. Key Measures for Temperature Optimization

1.Dynamic Adjustment StrategyThe Box-Behnken response surface method is employed to optimize temperature parameters. For example:When the thickness requirement for thermal oxide films is ≤30Å, SC-1 at 30°C with a solution ratio of 1:9:50 (NH₄OH:H₂O₂:H₂O) minimizes film loss.To control within-wafer non-uniformity (<1%), SC-1 at 60°C with a ratio of 1:3:50 achieves thermal oxide film loss ≤0.065nm.

2.Thermal Stress ControlIn 3D NAND or FinFET structures, segmented temperature control is applied: rapid heating to the target temperature (e.g., 55°C) in the initial stage, followed by slow cooling to avoid stress concentration.Cooling media with increasing specific heat capacity (e.g., air → water) enable rapid cooling while reducing the impact of temperature fluctuations on thin films.

3.Synergy Between Solution Activity and TemperatureWhen the concentration of NH₄OH in SC-1 is reduced (e.g., 1:1:50), temperature needs to be increased to 50-60°C to maintain decontamination efficiency.When adjusting HCl concentration in SC-2 (e.g., diluted to 1:100), temperature can be reduced to room temperature, with processing time extended (e.g., 10 minutes) to compensate for metal removal capability.

III. Equipment and Process Support

1.Temperature Control System SelectionPID closed-loop control is adopted, combined with real-time monitoring (e.g., thermocouples or infrared sensors), achieving an accuracy of ±0.1°C.For high-precision scenarios like megasonic cleaning, dual-zone temperature-controlled jackets are used to ensure solution temperature uniformity (<±1°C).

2.Process Compatibility VerificationAt nodes ≤10nm, TEM (transmission electron microscopy) is required to verify the impact of temperature on gate oxide layer integrity, preventing defects caused by local overheating.For copper interconnect processes, if SC-2 temperature exceeds 65°C, an additional passivation step is needed to prevent copper ion re-adsorption.