Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation

Hsiu-Lan Lee

Tzu-Shih Yen

Rong-Wu Chien

Pei-Wen Li

The present invention discloses a method for simultaneously removing from a silicon surface polymeric films and damaged silicon layers by exposing the surface to a cleaning solution that contains amine or ethanolamine for a length of time that is sufficient to remove all such unwanted materials. The method is effective in cleaning away damaged silicon layers having a thickness between about 20 &angst; and about 60 &angst; in a period of time between about 2 minutes and about 20 minutes. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning solution is a water solution of ethanolamine and gallic acid.

Method for removing etch-induced polymer film and damaged silicon layer from a silicon surface

A method for removing from a patterned silicon containing dielectric layer a patterned partially fluorinated photoresist layer employed in patterning the patterned silicon containing dielectric layer. There is first formed over a semiconductor substrate a metal contact layer having a silicon containing dielectric layer formed thereover. There is then formed upon the silicon containing dielectric layer a patterned photoresist layer. There is then formed by use of a reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma etch method employing a fluorine containing etchant a via through the silicon containing dielectric layer to form a patterned silicon containing dielectric layer reaching the metal contact layer. The reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma etch method simultaneously forms from the patterned photoresist layer a partially fluorinated patterned photoresist layer comprising a patterned fluorinated surface layer of the partially fluorinated patterned photoresist layer and a patterned non-fluorinated underlying remainder layer of the partially fluorinated patterned photoresist layer. The reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma etch method also simultaneously forms upon the sidewalls of the via a metal-polymer residue layer. There is then removed, at least partially, the patterned fluorinated surface layer of the partially fluorinated patterned photoresist layer through a first stripping method employing an argon containing plasma under conditions such that the metal-polymer residue layer is not substantially oxidized. Finally, there is then removed through a second stripping method at least the metal-polymer residue layer from the sidewalls of the via.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Hsiu-Lan Lee