Patent · US Expired

Removal of post-RIE polymer on Al/Cu metal line

US5980770A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
12References
10Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 1998
Grant dateNov 9, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/906
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for removal of post reactive ion etch sidewall polymer rails on a Al/Cu metal line of a semiconductor or microelectronic composite structure comprising: 1) supplying a mixture of an etching gas and an acid neutralizing gas into a vacuum chamber in which said composite structure is supported to form a water soluble material of sidewall polymer rails left behind on the Al/Cu metal line from the RIE process; removing the water soluble material with deionized water; and removing photo-resist from said composite structure by either a water-only plasma process or a chemical down stream etching method; or 2) forming a water-only plasma process to strip the photo-resist layer of a semiconductor or microelectronic composite structure previously subjected to a RIE process; supplying a mixture of an etching gas and an acid neutralizing gas into a vacuum chamber on which said structure is supported to form a water soluble material of saidwall polymer rails left behind on the Al/Cu metal line from the RIE process; and removing the water soluble material with deionized water.

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