A method for forming a fin field effect transistor device structure includes forming a fin structure over a substrate. The method also includes forming a gate structure across the fin structure. The method also includes forming a source/drain recess adjacent to the gate structure. The method also includes wet cleaning the source/drain recess in a first wet cleaning process. The method also includes treating the source/drain recess with a plasma process. The method also includes wet cleaning the source/drain recess in a second wet cleaning process after treating the source/drain recess via the plasma process. The method also includes growing a source/drain epitaxial structure in the source/drain recess.

A substrate cleaning method according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: supplying a film-forming treatment liquid containing a volatile component to a substrate to form a film on the substrate; supplying a peeling treatment liquid, which peels off a treatment film from the substrate, to the treatment film formed by solidifying or curing the film-forming treatment liquid on the substrate due to volatilization of the volatile component; and supplying a hydrophobic liquid, which hydrophobizes the substrate, to the substrate to which the peeling treatment liquid has been supplied.

A cleaning system includes at least one cleaning module configured to receive a substrate after a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process and to remove contaminants on the substrate using a cleaning solution. The cleaning system further includes a cleaning solution supply system configured to supply the cleaning solution to the at least one cleaning module. The cleaning solution supply system includes at least one temperature control system. The at least one temperature control system includes a heating device configured to heat the cleaning solution, a cooling device configured to cool the cleaning solution, a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of the cleaning solution, and a temperature controller configured to control the heating device and the cooling device.

A low surface tension liquid supply unit supplies a low surface tension liquid onto the upper surface of a substrate to form a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid on the substrate. An opening is formed in a central region of the liquid film of an organic solvent. The liquid film is removed from the upper surface of the substrate by expanding the opening. While a low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supply unit, to the liquid film, toward a liquid landing point set outside the opening, the liquid landing point is moved so as to follow the expansion of the opening. While an facing surface of a drying head faces a dry region set inside the opening to form a low-humidity space between the facing surface and the dry region, with the low-humidity space having a humidity lower than that outside the space, the dry region and the facing surface are moved so as to follow the expansion of the opening.

Methods of drying a semiconductor substrate may include applying a drying agent to a semiconductor substrate, where the drying agent wets the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include heating a chamber housing the semiconductor substrate to a temperature above an atmospheric pressure boiling point of the drying agent until a vapor-liquid equilibrium of the drying agent within the chamber has been reached. The methods may further include venting the chamber, where the venting vaporizes the liquid phase of the drying agent from the semiconductor substrate.

Various embodiments comprise apparatuses for cleaning and drying a substrate and methods of operating the apparatuses. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus includes a vertical substrate holder to hold and rotate the substrate at various speeds. An inner shield and an outer shield, when in a closed position, surround the vertical substrate holder during operation of the apparatus. Each of the inner shield and the outer shield can operate independently in at least one of rotational speed and direction from the other shield. A front-side spray jet and a back-side spray jet are arranged to spray at least one fluid onto both sides of the substrate and edges of the substrate substantially concurrently. A gas flow, combined with a high rotational-speed of the shields and substrate, assist in drying the substrate. Additional apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses are disclosed.

In equipment that executes a drying process of forming a liquid membrane on a top surface of a substrate W which is held horizontally and gradually enlarging a dry area from which the liquid membrane has been removed, quality of the drying process is determined. Specifically, first, the top surface of the substrate is repeatedly imaged by an imaging unit during execution of the drying process. Then, it is determined whether the dry area is in a normal state based on a plurality of captured images acquired by the imaging. Accordingly, it is possible to quantitatively determine whether a dry area is in a normal state based on a plurality of captured images.

A low surface tension liquid supply unit supplies a low surface tension liquid onto the upper surface of a substrate to form a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid on the substrate. An opening is formed in a central region of the liquid film of an organic solvent. The liquid film is removed from the upper surface of the substrate by expanding the opening. While a low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supply unit, to the liquid film, toward a liquid landing point set outside the opening, the liquid landing point is moved so as to follow the expansion of the opening. While an facing surface of a drying head faces a dry region set inside the opening to form a low-humidity space between the facing surface and the dry region, with the low-humidity space having a humidity lower than that outside the space, the dry region and the facing surface are moved so as to follow the expansion of the opening.

A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming fin-shaped structures on a substrate; using isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to perform a rinse process; performing a baking process; and forming a gate oxide layer on the fin-shaped structures. Preferably, a duration of the rinse process is between 15 seconds to 60 seconds, a temperature of the baking process is between 50 C. to 100 C., and a duration of the baking process is between 5 seconds to 120 seconds.

A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming fin-shaped structures on a substrate; using isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to perform a rinse process; performing a baking process; and forming a gate oxide layer on the fin-shaped structures. Preferably, a duration of the rinse process is between 15 seconds to 60 seconds, a temperature of the baking process is between 50 C. to 100 C., and a duration of the baking process is between 5 seconds to 120 seconds.