Effects of two mild amino acids on benzotriazole residue desorption during cobalt post-chemical mechanical polishing cleaning: Experimental and theoretical studies

During the polishing process of the cobalt (Co) interconnect layer, the corrosion inhibitor in the polishing solution will leave an organic residue on the polished cobalt surface, which needs to be removed by the post-chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cleaning process. However, given the active chemical properties of cobalt, the potent and corrosive complexing agents in traditional cleaning solutions have the drawback of generating new corrosion defects on the cobalt surface. In this study, an eco-friendly cleaning solution is developed utilizing tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide (TEAH), deionized water, and either sarcosine or serine, thereby ensuring the absence of any additional introduction of metal impurities. The removal effect of the cleaning solution on BTA was tested using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The results demonstrate that post-CMP cleaning with either sarcosine or serine yielded a cobalt surface with reduced roughness (2.78 nm and 2.63 nm), diminished Co-BTA content (10.6% and 9.5%), and a lowered contact angle (44.3° and 37.9°). To elucidate the mechanism of post-CMP cleaning, electrochemical measurements and molecular dynamics were employed. Initially, in the cleaning solution with a pH of 10.4, the adsorption of BTA and cobalt is minimized. Subsequently, as serine permeates through the BTA residue layer, the desorption of BTA is expedited through competitive adsorption. These findings contribute valuable insights into the mechanism of residue removal in post-CMP cleaning processes.