Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd (Corporation)

Aik Hon Goh

Xin Wei Zhang

Carol Goh

A two step passivation procedure, used to remove chlorine from polymer layers formed on the sides of metal structures, prior to removal of the defining photoresist shape, and of the polymer layers, has been developed. The procedure features a first passivation step, performed at a low substrate temperature, (100-140&deg; C.) at low RF power, (150 to 250 watts), and using a 2 to 1 ratio of oxygen to water, resulting in removal of corrosion causing chlorine, from the polymer layers, located on the sides of a first group of defined metal structures, which in turn reside at the edge of a semiconductor substrate. A second passivation step, of the two step passivation procedure, is then performed using water only, at higher substrate temperature, (200-250&deg; C.), resulting in removal of chlorine from polymer layers located on the sides of a second set of metal structures, which reside at the center of the semiconductor substrate. Removal of the masking photoresist shape, and removal of the polymer layers, now without chlorine, is then performed.

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Singapore, Singapore

Aik Hon Goh