Method for removal of immersion lithography medium in immersion lithography processes

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

• applying an immersion lithography medium to a surface of a semiconductor wafer;
• exposing a material on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 157 nm, the exposing comprising passing the radiation through the immersion lithography medium;
• applying supercritical carbon dioxide to the semiconductor wafer to remove the immersion lithography medium from the surface of the semiconductor wafer;
• and
• following the step of applying supercritical carbon dioxide to the wafer, obtaining a mixture of the immersion lithography medium removed from the surface and carbon dioxide and recovering and purifying the immersion lithography medium from the mixture;
• and
• recycling the recovered and purified immersion lithography medium.

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

• applying an immersion lithography medium to a surface of a semiconductor wafer, wherein the immersion lithography medium is substantially non-reactive with the material forming the surface of the semiconductor wafer and is substantially transparent to the radiation;
• exposing a material on the surface of the semiconductor wafer to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 157 nm, the exposing comprising passing the radiation through the immersion lithography medium;
• applying supercritical carbon dioxide to the semiconductor wafer to remove the immersion lithography medium from the surface of the semiconductor wafer;
• and
• obtaining a mixture of the immersion lithography medium removed from the surface and carbon dioxide and recovering and purifying the immersion lithography medium from the mixture.