Method for removal of photoresist over metal which also removes or inactivates corrosion-forming materials remaining from previous metal etch

A process for removing, from an integrated circuit structure, photoresist remaining after a metal etch which comprises:

• a) flowing through a microwave plasma generator into a stripping chamber containing said integrated circuit structure a mixture of O.sub.2, N.sub.2, and fluorocarbon gases for a period of at least about 10 seconds at a rate equivalent to flowing from about 1000 sccm to about 2000 sccm of said O.sub.2 gas, from about 50 sccm to about 150 sccm of said N.sub.2 gas, and from about 20 sccm to about 80 sccm of said fluorocarbon gas into a 5 liter chamber;
• b) igniting a plasma in said plasma generator while said O.sub.2, N.sub.2, and fluorocarbon gases are flowing through said plasma generator into said stripping chamber;
• c) then extinguishing said plasma and shutting off said flow of said N.sub.2 gas and said fluorocarbon gas into said stripping chamber while maintaining said flow of O.sub.2 into said chamber to purge said chamber of fluorocarbon gas;
• d) then flowing NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 gases through said plasma generator into said stripping chamber at a rate equivalent to a flow of from about 10 sccm to about 300 sccm of NH.sub.3 and from about 2000 sccm to about 5000 sccm of O.sub.2 into a 5 liter chamber;
• and
• e) igniting a plasma in said plasma generator at least about 10 seconds after said NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 gases begin flowing through said plasma generator into said stripping chamber.

A process for removing, from an integrated circuit structure, photoresist remaining after a metal etch, which process also removes or inactivates chlorine residues remaining from said previous metal etch, comprising:

• a) flowing through a microwave plasma generator into a stripping chamber containing said integrated circuit structure a mixture of O.sub.2, N.sub.2, and CF.sub.4 gases for a period of at least about 10 seconds at a rate equivalent to flowing from about 1000 sccm to about 2000 sccm of said O.sub.2 gas, from about 50 sccm to about 150 sccm of said N.sub.2 gas, and from about 20 sccm to about 80 sccm of said CF.sub.4 gas into a 5 liter chamber;
• b) igniting a plasma in said microwave plasma generator and maintaining said plasma in said generator at a power level of from about 500 watts to about 2500 watts while said O.sub.2, N.sub.2, and CF.sub.4 gases are flowing through said plasma generator into said stripping chamber;
• c) then extinguishing said plasma and shutting off said flow of said N.sub.2 gas and said Cf.sub.4 gas into said stripping chamber while maintaining said flow of O.sub.2 into said chamber to purge said stripping chamber of said CF.sub.4 gas;
• d) then flowing NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 gases into said through said plasma generator into said stripping chamber at a rate equivalent to a flow of from about 10 sccm to about 300 sccm of NH.sub.3 and from about 2000 sccm to about 5000 sccm of O.sub.2 into a 5 liter chamber;
• and
• e) igniting a plasma in said microwave plasma generator at least about 10 seconds after said NH.sub.3 and O.sub.2 gases begin flowing through said generator into said stripping chamber and maintaining said plasma at a power level of from about 500 watts to about 2500 watts for a period of at least about 40 seconds.