Method for demascene reworking

A method for avoiding processing damage to an anisotropically etched damascene feature in a reworking process comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate including a dielectric insulating layer including a first anisotropically etched opening formed in closed communication with an underlying conductive area the first anisotropically etched opening being at least partially filled with a plug of resinous polymeric material;
• providing a first photoresist layer over the first anisotropically etched opening the first photoresist layer photolithographically patterned for forming a second anisotropically etched opening overlying the first anisotropically etched opening;
• blanket depositing a flowable resinous polymeric material to form a resinous layer over the first photoresist layer in a reworking process to include filling a remaining portion of the first anisotropically etched opening;
• removing the resinous layer and the first photoresist layer in a planarizing process to reveal an upper surface of the substrate;
• and,
• depositing a second photoresist layer over the upper surface for photolithographic patterning of the second anisotropically etched opening overlying the first anisotropically etched opening in the reworking process.