A high-temperature batch-spray process for implanted resist stripping

摘要

Photoresist stripping in IC manufacturing has become more challenging as the number of photoresist levels has increased, while at the same time allowable material loss and surface damage has decreased. Heavily implanted photoresist is especially challenging due to the dehydrogentated, amorphous carbon layer that forms on the surface. Improvements to the standard sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide ("piranha") resist stripping process have been made in a batch spray system to achieve on-wafer temperatures above 200℃. This has enabled the wet stripping of implanted photoresist exposed to doses greater than 1×10{sup}15 ions/cm{sup}2. This capability can eliminate the need for ashing on a large number of implanted photoresist stripping steps, reducing surface damage and material loss, and also improving overall IC manufacturing cycle time.