AVS 50th International Symposium
    Thin Films Monday Sessions
       Session TF-MoA

Paper TF-MoA10
Photoresist Removal on Porous Low-k Materials Using an Energetic (100s of eV) Oxygen Neutral Beam

Monday, November 3, 2003, 5:00 pm, Room 329

Session: Atomic Layer Deposition and Low-k
Presenter: Q. Wang, University of Houston
Authors: D.J. Economou, University of Houston
Q. Wang, University of Houston
B. White, AMD and International SEMATECH
P.J. Wolf, Intel and International SEMATECH
T. Jacobs, Philips Semiconductors
J. Fourcher, International SEMATECH
Correspondent: Click to Email
Integration of porous low-k materials for interconnect technology present many challenges to the etch, ash and cleans processes. One challenge is the post etch removal of photoresist on open porous low-k films. Porous low-k films are very susceptible to damage by plasma processing, which can raise the overall keff of the film. Traditionally, a pure oxygen plasma ash is one method used for photoresist removal on CVD dielectrics. This method cannot be applied to exposed low-k films, because chemical and physical damage occurs. Successful photoresist removal on low-k films can be achieved by reducing chemistries or dilute O2 processes in RIE etch tools. This work shows how an energetic (100s of eV) oxygen neutral beam can be used to strip photoresist, without physical or electrical damage to the exposed low-k material. @FootnoteText@ Work at UH supported by International SEMATECH.