Patent · US Expired

Method of removing photoresist on a semiconductor wafer

US4938839A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
6References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 11, 1988
Grant dateJul 3, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 11, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/427
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

After a semiconductor wafer is processed, a photoresist on the semiconductor wafer is removed by an irradiation of oxygen plasma while the wafer is cooled by a cooling device. The cooling device can be a susceptor or a stage on which the wafer is placed, and coolant flows through a pipe or duct installed thereto. Cooling of the wafer prevents the photoresist from being softened by the heat from the plasma. Thus, the inner side of the photoresist remains hard enough to support the affected surface portion of the photoresist, which is also difficult to remove, preventing the affected surface portion from sticking onto the surface of the wafer. Therefore, the affected portion can be more effectively irradiated by the plasma, and can be decomposed without leaving residue on the wafer. Reduced residue on the wafer surface contributes to improve production yield and quality of the products made from this wafer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.