Patent US2806052A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6030901A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6030901A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoresist stripping without degrading low dielectric constant materials
Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
•
Filing: 1999-06-24
•
Granted: 2000-02-29
•
Expires: 2019-06-24
Abstract
Abstract Photoresist masks are stripped using a H 2 -N 2 plasma to prevent increasing the dielectric constant of an exposed carbon-containing dielectric material. Embodiments of the present invention include forming a low dielectric constant, carbon-containing layer, e.g., a polymeric layer, on an exposed metal feature overlying a wafer, forming a photoresist mask on the dielectric layer, forming an opening in the dielectric layer exposing the metal feature and a portion of the dielectric layer, preheating the wafer and stripping the photoresist mask using the H 2 -N 2 plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Dawn Hopper
- 👤 Richard J. Huang
- 👤 Jacques Bertrand
- 👤 Lu You
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:18
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/28; H10P50/286; H10P50/287; H10P50/282; H10P50/283; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/68; H10P14/683; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922; H10P14/6926; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/081; H10W20/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: depositing a carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming a photoresist mask on the carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming an opening in the carbon-containing layer; and removing the photoresist mask with a plasma containing hydrogen and nitrogen, wherein said plasma contains about 1 to about 10 vol % hydrogen and about 90 to about 99 vol % nitrogen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: depositing a carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming a photoresist mask on the carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming an opening in the carbon-containing layer; and removing the photoresist mask with a plasma containing hydrogen and nitrogen, wherein said plasma contains about 1 to about 10 vol % hydrogen and about 90 to about 99 vol % nitrogen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing dielectric layer is an inter-layer dielectric.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing dielectric layer has a dielectric constant of about 2.0 to about 3.8.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing dielectric layer comprises a polymer having a back bone containing carbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein the carbon-containing dielectric layer comprises benzocyclobutene (BCB) or methyl silsesquioxane (MSQ).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the plasma contains about 2 to about 6 vol. % hydrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1, comprising removing the photoresist mask with the plasma at a temperature of about 250° C. at a pressure of about 1,000 to about 1,400 m Torr.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 7, comprising: depositing the carbon-containing dielectric layer overlying a wafer; and preheating the wafer to a temperature of about 150° C. to about 275° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 8, comprising preheating the wafer to a temperature of about 230° C. to about 270° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 9, comprising preheating the wafer to about 250° C. in about 5 to about 7 seconds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 8, comprising preheating the wafer by placing the wafer on a platen and heating the platen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 11, further comprising preheating the wafer by heating the platen and by infrared radiation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 12, comprising maintaining heating of the wafer during photoresist removal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 7, comprising removing the photoresist mask at a removal rate of about 3,000 Å to about 4,000 Å per minute.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 1, comprising: forming a patterned metal layer comprising a metal feature; depositing an inter-layer dielectric comprising the carbon-containing dielectric material on the metal feature; and forming the opening in the inter-layer dielectric exposing the metal feature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises about 0.5 to about 8 mol percent carbon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 15, comprising removing the photoresist mask in the plasma containing nitrogen and hydrogen avoiding an increase in the dielectric constant and/or removing any of the carbon-containing dielectric layer.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: depositing a carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming a photo resist mask on the carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming an opening in the carbon-containing layer; and removing the photo resist mask with a plasma consisting of hydrogen and nitrogen.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: depositing a carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming a photo resist mask on the carbon-containing dielectric layer; forming an opening in the carbon-containing layer; and removing the photo resist mask with a plasma consisting of hydrogen and nitrogen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-28 | 2003-08-30 | 2004-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-28 | 2007-08-30 | 2008-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-28 | 2011-08-30 | 2012-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |