Removal of organic material in integrated circuit fabrication using ozonated organic acid solutions
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsDonald L. Yates, Paul A. Morgan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Organic acid components are used to increase the solubility of ozone in aqueous solutions for use in removing organic materials, such as polymeric resist and/or post-etch residues, from the surface of an integrated circuit device during fabrication. Each organic acid component is preferably chosen for its metal-passivating effect. Such solutions can have significantly lower corrosion rates when compared to ozonated aqueous solutions using common inorganic acids for ozone solubility enhancement due to the passivating effect of the organic acid component.
Claims48
A method of removing organic material during fabrication of an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
- contacting the organic material with an ozonated aqueous solution containing at least one organic acid component.
A method of removing organic material during fabrication of an integrated circuit device having an exposed metal portion, the method comprising:
- contacting the organic material with an ozonated aqueous solution containing at least one organic acid component having a passivating effect on the exposed metal surface.
A method of removing organic material from a surface of an integrated circuit device during fabrication, the method comprising:
- wetting the surface of the integrated circuit device with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution.
A method of removing photoresist material, the method comprising:
- applying an ozonated aqueous solution to the photoresist material, wherein the ozonated aqueous solution contains an organic acid.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the device layer;
- and
- contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution for a period of time effective to remove at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a second device layer on a first device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the second device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the second device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the second device layer to expose portions of the first device layer;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer by contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution;
- wherein the integrated circuit device contains metal exposed to the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution while removing at least the portion of the patterned photoresist layer;
- and
- wherein the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution contains at least one organic acid component having a passivating effect on the exposed metal.
A method of removing organic material from a surface of an in-process integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
- contacting the organic material with an ozonated aqueous solution containing a carboxylic acid, wherein the organic material is contacted with the ozonated aqueous solution for a period of time effective to remove at least a portion of the organic material.
A method of removing organic material from a surface of an integrated circuit device during fabrication, the method comprising:
- contacting the organic material with an ozonated aqueous solution containing a carboxylic acid, wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid and malic acid.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the device layer;
- and
- contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution for a period of time effective to remove at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer;
- wherein the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution comprises water, dissolved ozone and one or more organic acid components selected from the group consisting of organic acids and salts of organic acids.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the device layer;
- and
- contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution for a period of time effective to remove at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer;
- wherein the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution consists essentially of water, dissolved ozone and one or more organic acid components selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid and their salts.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the device layer;
- and
- contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated aqueous citric acid solution for a period of time effective to remove at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a second device layer on a first device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the second device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the second device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the second device layer to expose portions of the first device layer;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer by contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated organic acid aqueous solution;
- wherein the integrated circuit device contains metal exposed to the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution while removing at least the portion of the patterned photoresist layer;
- and
- wherein the ozonated organic acid aqueous solution comprises water, dissolved ozone and one or more organic acid components selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid and their salts.
A method of forming an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- forming a second device layer on a first device layer;
- forming a layer of photoresist material on the second device layer;
- patterning the photoresist layer, thereby exposing portions of the second device layer;
- removing the exposed portions of the second device layer to expose portions of the first device layer;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the patterned photoresist layer by contacting the patterned photoresist layer with an ozonated aqueous citric acid solution;
- wherein the integrated circuit device contains metal exposed to the ozonated aqueous citric acid solution while removing at least the portion of the patterned photoresist layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.