The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 17, 2004
Jyu-horng Shieh, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Yi-nien Su, Kaohsiung, TW;
Jang-shiang Tsai, Xindian, TW;
Chen-nan Yeh, Taipei County, TW;
Hun-jan Tao, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Jyu-Horng Shieh, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Yi-Nien Su, Kaohsiung, TW;
Jang-Shiang Tsai, Xindian, TW;
Chen-Nan Yeh, Taipei County, TW;
Hun-Jan Tao, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A plasma containing 5–10% oxygen and 90–95% of an inert gas strips photoresist from over a low-k dielectric material formed on or in a semiconductor device. The inert gas may be nitrogen, hydrogen, or a combination thereof, or it may include at least one of nitrogen, hydrogen, NH, Ar, He, and CF. The operating pressure of the plasma may range from 1 millitorr to 150 millitor. The plasma removes photoresist, the hard skin formed on photoresist during aggressive etch processes, and polymeric depositions formed during etch processes. The plasma strips photoresist at a rate sufficiently high for production use and does not appreciably attack carbon-containing low-k dielectric materials. An apparatus including a plasma tool containing a semiconductor substrate and the low oxygen-content plasma, is also provided.