Method and apparatus for performing hydrogen optical emission endpoint detection for photoresist strip and residue removal

• US 7,648,916 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Mark N., Pavel, Elizabeth G., Papanu, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Binh X
• Application Number:
  US11/467,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20060289384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 438/708, 438/709, 438/725, 216/59, 216/60
• US Class Current: 438/708
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3342 Resist stripping
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32963 End-point detection

Abstract

Methods for monitoring and detecting optical emissions while performing photoresist stripping and removal of residues from a substrate or a film stack on a substrate are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes positioning a substrate comprising a photoresist layer into a processing chamber; processing the photoresist layer using a multiple step plasma process; and monitoring the plasma for a hydrogen optical emission during the multiple step plasma process; wherein the multiple step plasma process includes removing a bulk of the photoresist layer using a bulk removal step; and switching to an overetch step in response to the monitored hydrogen optical emission.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

positioning a substrate comprising a photoresist layer into a processing chamber;

processing the photoresist layer using a multiple step plasma process; and

monitoring the plasma for a hydrogen optical emission and an oxygen optical emission during the multiple step plasma process;

wherein the multiple step plasma process comprises;

removing a bulk of the photoresist layer using a bulk removal step; and

switching to an overetch step in response to the monitored hydrogen optical emission or the monitored oxygen optical emission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen optical emission occurs at a wavelength of about 656 nm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen optical emission occurs at a wavelength of about 777 nm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen optical emission is correlated with the oxygen optical emission.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the multiple step plasma process upon either the hydrogen optical emission obtaining a first level, the oxygen optical emission obtaining a second level, or both.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the multiple step plasma process upon the hydrogen optical emission obtaining a predetermined level, the oxygen optical emission obtaining a predetermined level, or both.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple step plasma process further comprises:

switching to a residue removal step in response to the monitored hydrogen optical emission or the monitored oxygen optical emission.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

switching to the residue removal step in response to both the monitored hydrogen optical emission and the monitored oxygen optical emission.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the photoresist layer comprises a hardened crust layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the multiple step plasma process further comprises:

etching the crust using a photoresist crust removal step and switching to the bulk removal step in response to the monitored hydrogen optical emission or the monitored oxygen optical emission.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

switching to the bulk removal step in response to both the monitored hydrogen optical emission and the monitored oxygen optical emission.

12. A method of etching a photoresist layer comprising:

positioning a substrate comprising a photoresist layer into a processing chamber;

processing the photoresist layer using a multiple step plasma process; and

monitoring the plasma for both by-product optical emission and a reactant optical emission during the multiple step plasma process;

wherein the multiple step plasma process comprises;

removing a bulk of the photoresist layer using a bulk removal step; and

switching to an overetch step in response to the monitored by-product optical emission.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple step plasma process further comprises:

switching to a residue removal step in response to the monitored by-product and reactant optical emissions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the by-product optical emission is correlated with the reactant optical emission.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

stopping the multiple step plasma process upon either the by-product optical emission obtaining a first level or the reactant optical emission obtaining a second level, or both.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the photoresist layer comprises a hardened crust layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the multiple step plasma process further comprises:

etching the crust using a photoresist crust removal step and switching to the bulk removal step in response to the monitored by-product and reactant optical emissions.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the by-product is hydrogen.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the hydrogen optical emission occurs at a wavelength of about 656 nm.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the reactant is oxygen.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the oxygen optical emission occurs at a wavelength of about 777 nm.