LOW DAMAGE PHOTORESIST STRIP METHOD FOR LOW-K DIELECTRICS
First Claim
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1. A method of removing material from a work piece after an etch process, the method comprising:
- forming a first plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen and a fluorine-containing compound;
exposing the work piece to the first plasma;
forming a second plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen; and
exposing the work piece to the second plasma,wherein the work piece temperature is maintained at a temperature below about 200°
C. during exposure to the first plasma, wherein at least some of the material is removed from the dielectric layer by exposure to the first and second plasmas and the removed material comprises one or more of photoresist and residue from the etch process.
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Abstract
Improved methods for stripping photoresist and removing etch-related residues from dielectric materials are provided. In one aspect of the invention, methods involve removing material from a dielectric layer using a hydrogen-based etch process employing a weak oxidizing agent and fluorine-containing compound. Substrate temperature is maintained at a level of about 160° C. or less, e.g., less than about 90° C.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of removing material from a work piece after an etch process, the method comprising:
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forming a first plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen and a fluorine-containing compound; exposing the work piece to the first plasma; forming a second plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen; and exposing the work piece to the second plasma, wherein the work piece temperature is maintained at a temperature below about 200°
C. during exposure to the first plasma, wherein at least some of the material is removed from the dielectric layer by exposure to the first and second plasmas and the removed material comprises one or more of photoresist and residue from the etch process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of removing material from a dielectric layer on a work piece as part of a partially fabricated integrated circuit after an etch process, the method comprising:
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forming a first plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen, a fluorine-containing compound, and an oxidizing agent selected from carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide and water; exposing the work piece to the first plasma to thereby remove one or more of etch-related residue and photoresist from the dielectric layer, wherein the work piece temperature is maintained at a temperature below about 200°
C. during the exposure to the first plasma. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for removing material from a work piece surface comprising:
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a reaction chamber comprising; a plasma source, a showerhead positioned downstream of the plasma source, and a work piece support downstream of the showerhead, said work piece support comprising a pedestal and temperature-controlling mechanism to control a temperature of a work piece supported on the work piece support; and a controller for executing a set of instructions, said set of instruction comprising instructions for forming a first plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen, a weak oxidizing agent and a fluorine-containing compound;
exposing the work piece to the first plasma;
forming a second plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen and a weak oxidizing agent;
exposing the work piece to the second plasma, and maintaining the work piece at a temperature below about 200°
C. during the exposure operations.
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Specification