Water vapor plasma for effective low-k dielectric resist stripping
US6492257B1 · kind B1 · utility
12Cited by
5References
31Claims
0Family size
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Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 4, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 4, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/31138
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The degradation of deposited low dielectric constant interlayer dielectrics and gap fill layers, such as HSQ layers, during formation of contacts/vias is significantly reduced or prevented by employing a water vapor plasma to remove the photoresist mask. The use of a water vapor also enables rapid photoresist stripping at a rate of about 10 to about 20 Kå/min. Embodiments include photoresist stripping with a water vapor plasma to prevent reduction of the number of Si—H bonds of an as-deposited HSQ layer below about 70%.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.