Adhesion and Removal of Fine Particles on Surfaces

Abstract

Particles on surfaces containing microelectronic circuits interfere with the circuit operation thus reducing product yield. Adhesion of particles to such surface as well as to other surfaces in production environments needs to be understood so that effective ways for preventing deposition and cleaning contaminated surfaces may be devised. Adhesive forces result from molecular and electrostatic interaction and are influenced by the surrounding medium and the composition. The magnitude of adhesive forces relative to the particle mass increases significantly for micrometer-and submicrometer-sized particles, and their removal is therefore difficult. Experimental techniques for adhesion measurement are marginal, and new developments are urgently needed. Considerable new research is needed to develop new cleaning media and techniques.