Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
It is found that Fe in a ppb level Fe-spiked SC1 solution precipitates in-homogenous. The local high iron concentrations are difficult to rinse, create micro-roughness, and induce weak spots in capacitors. With AFM it has been shown that rings of 3–8 μm are etched in the silicon and that the etch products (silicates) are deposited on one side just outside the ring. The capacitor yield loss induced by this SC1 treatment can not be recovered fully by a subsequent SC2 or dHCL step, while a dHF/dHCl does fully recover the yield and removes the iron and silicate rim.