During integrated processing, cleaning steps are often inserted to remove un-needed resist, post-etch residues and particles, or to prepare a surface for a following process. The various tools listed here perform both dry and wet cleaning. The cleaning method you will need will depend on the materials you would like to remove as well as the contamination category of your sample. (For more about the contamination categories, please visit the Cleanliness (previously Contamination) Groups page).

Processing Technique Equipment name & NEMO IDsort descending Cleanliness Chemicals Primary Materials Etched Other Materials Etched Substrate Size Maximum Load (number of wafers) Process Temperature Range Gases Notes Stylus Tip Radius
Solvent Cleaning, Metal Lift-off, Wet Chemical Processing Ex Fab Solvent Wet Bench
wbexfab_solv 		Flexible
Downstream/Remote Plasma Resist Removal, Downstream/Remote Plasma Etching Gasonics Aura Asher
gasonics 		Clean, Semiclean
25

Single wafer tool with auto loading from a cassette. Pieces need a pocket carrier wafer for transport. Wafers heated by lamps.
Downstream/Remote Plasma Resist Removal, Downstream/Remote Plasma Etching Matrix Plasma Resist Strip
matrix 		Flexible
25

Single wafer tool with auto loading from a cassette. Pieces need a pocket carrier wafer for transport. Chuck temperature controls wafer heating.
Plasma Mode Etching, Reactive Ion Etching (RIE), Downstream/Remote Plasma Resist Removal Samco PC300 Plasma Etch System
samco 		Flexible
Four 4" wafers or two 6" wafers and one 8" wafer
20 ºC
Dry Resist Removal, Dry Etching Technics Asher
technics 		Flexible
Four 4" wafers to pieces, one 6" or 8" wafer
Pre-Diffusion Clean, Pre-LPCVD or Pre-Metal Clean, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Clean 1
wbclean-1 		Clean
25

No resist allowed. Resist should have been removed at the wbclean_res-piranha.
Pre-Diffusion Clean, Pre-LPCVD or Pre-Metal Clean, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Clean 2
wbclean-2 		Clean
25

No resist allowed. Resist should have been removed at the wbclean_res-piranha
Piranha Cleaning, Wet Resist Removal, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Clean_res-piranha
wbclean_res-piranha 		Clean

Resist will be removed
Decontamination, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Decontamination
wbdecon 		Clean

KOH or wafersaw or post-cmp decontamination
Decontamination, Metal Clean, Piranha Cleaning, Wet Resist Removal, Acid or Base Wet Etching, Aluminum and Titanium and Tungsten Wet Etching, Silicon Wet Etching, Silicon Oxide Wet Etching, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexcorr 1
wbflexcorr-1 		Flexible

Manual wet etching of non-standard materials. Hot plate available. GaAs allowed in personal labware only.
Acid or Base Wet Etching, Piranha Cleaning, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexcorr 2
wbflexcorr-2 		Flexible

Manual wet etching of non-standard materials. Hot pots available. GaAs allowed in personal labware only
Acid or Base Wet Etching, Piranha Cleaning, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexcorr 3
wbflexcorr-3 		Flexible

Manual wet etching of non-standard materials using acids or bases. Hot Plate available. GaAs not allowed.
Acid or Base Wet Etching, Piranha Cleaning, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexcorr 4
wbflexcorr-4 		Flexible

Manual wet etching of non-standard materials using acids or bases. Hot plate, HF bath, and controlled temperature bath available. GaAs not allowed.
Solvent Cleaning, Wet Resist Removal, Metal Lift-off Wet Bench Flexible Solvents
wbflexsolv 		Flexible

Manual solvent cleaning of substrates or resist removal.
Solvent Cleaning, Wet Resist Removal, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexible Solvents 1
wbflexsolv-1 		Flexible

Manual solvent cleaning, two ultrasonic baths.
Solvent Cleaning, Wet Resist Removal, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Flexible Solvents 2
wbflexsolv-2 		Flexible

Manual solvent cleaning, hot plate
Wet Resist Removal, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Resist Strip
wbresstrip-1 		Clean (Ge), Semiclean, Flexible
25 4 inch wafers
20 °C - 60 °C

Wet Resist Removal: SRS-100 or PRS1000
Solvent Cleaning, Wet Chemical Processing Wet Bench Solvent Lithography
lithosolv 		Flexible

Manual solvent cleaning of substrates or masks. Teflon coated metal tweezers cleaning.