Background technology
At present, integrated circuit from each chip of the sixties only tens devices develop into and can comprise about 1,000,000,000 devices on each present chip, integrated circuit why can develop rapidly, very crucial effect has been played in the support of photoetching technique.Because it has directly determined the physical size of single semiconductor devices, so the level of photoetching technique has become one of most important factor of decision semiconductor devices integrated level.
The basic technology of photoetching technique generally includes gluing, exposure and development three big steps.The purpose of coating technique is to set up thin and photoresist layer even, that do not have defective in wafer surface.Exposure be by exposure lamp or other radiating light sources with the figure transfer on the photomask to photoresist layer.After the exposure, device or circuitous pattern are recorded on the photoresist layer with the form of exposure and unexposed area.The pattern of post-develop mask just is fixed on the photoresist layer.
After photoetching process, can photoresist layer be that mask carries out etching technics or ion implantation technology promptly.
After wet etching, dry etching or ion injected, the photoresist of wafer surface all needed to remove.General wet method or the dry method of adopting removes photoresist layer in the prior art.In wet method, be divided into that organic solvent removes photoresist and inorganic solvent removes photoresist, it mainly is to make photoresist be dissolved in organic solvent and remove that organic solvent removes photoresist.Inorganic removing photoresist is that to utilize photoresist itself be organic characteristics, the carbon in the photoresist is oxidized to carbon dioxide and is removed.In dry method, then be to utilize plasma with photoresist lift off.But no matter be to adopt wet method or dry method removes photoresist layer, after photoresist was removed processing, often wafer surface is still residual a part photoresist.If these residues are not removed, then may become the particle and the contamination sources that increase wafer surface blemish density.
For example, Figure 1A is the sweep electron microscope photo of prior art through the residual photoresist of the wafer surface after the wet-cleaned.As mentioned above, the photoresist 102 of wafer 101 remained on surface and other impurity can bring the problem of performance reduction to semiconductor devices.
And for example, Figure 1B is that prior art is through the wafer printing glue retention analysis figure after the wet-cleaned.Shown in Figure 1B, as can be seen, there is a large amount of photoresist remanent points 103 on wafer 101 surfaces, and these photoresist remanent point 103 corresponding performances of semiconductor devices that will cause descend, and then can cause the problem that the wafer yield descends.
Therefore, how effectively and safely to remove photoresist, the residual problem demanding prompt solution that just becomes of minimizing photoresist.
Summary of the invention
Introduced the notion of a series of reduced forms in the summary of the invention part, this will further describe in the embodiment part.Summary of the invention part of the present invention does not also mean that key feature and the essential features that will attempt to limit technical scheme required for protection, does not more mean that the protection domain of attempting to determine technical scheme required for protection.
Can't be effectively and remove photoresist safely, reduce the residual problem of photoresist for solving prior art, the invention provides a kind of method of removing photoresist, said method comprising the steps of:
Plasma pre-treatment step, described pre-treatment step are used for photoresist layer is carried out pre-service; And the removal step, described removal step is used for removing through described pretreated photoresist layer.
Further, described plasma pre-treatment step comprises employing O
2Plasma carries out pretreated first pre-treatment step to described photoresist layer.
Further, in described first pre-treatment step, produce described O
2The pressure of the reaction chamber of plasma is that 180 millitorrs that is to 220 millitorrs that, the flow of the oxygen that feeds in the described reaction chamber is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and first bias power of described reaction chamber is 90W to 200W, frequency is 27MHz, and second bias power is zero.
Further, the pretreatment time of described first pre-treatment step was 60 seconds in second to 120.
Further, described plasma pre-treatment step also is included in second pre-treatment step of carrying out after described first pre-treatment step is finished, and described second pre-treatment step adopts O
2Plasma carries out pre-service to described photoresist layer, in described second pre-treatment step, produces described O
2The pressure of the reaction chamber of plasma is that 35 millitorrs that is to 45 millitorrs that, the flow of the oxygen that feeds in the described reaction chamber is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, the flow of the carbon monoxide that feeds is 180 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 220 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and first bias power is 250W to 350W, frequency is 27MHz, second bias power is 90W to 150W, and frequency is 2MHz.
Further, the pretreatment time of described first pre-treatment step was 9 seconds in second to 11, and the pretreatment time of described second pre-treatment step was 18 seconds in second to 22.
Further, described removal step adopts wet method or dry method to remove through described pretreated photoresist layer.
Method of the present invention can reduce the residual of wafer surface photoresist, and then effectively improves the performance of semiconductor devices.
Embodiment
In the following description, a large amount of concrete details have been provided so that more thorough understanding of the invention is provided.Yet, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention can need not one or more these details and implemented.In other example,, be not described for technical characterictics more well known in the art for fear of obscuring with the present invention.
In order thoroughly to understand the present invention, will in following description, detailed steps be proposed so that explanation the present invention be how to solve prior art can't be effectively and remove photoresist safely, reduce the residual problem of photoresist.Obviously, execution of the present invention is not limited to the specific details that the technician had the knack of of semiconductor applications.Better embodiment of the present invention is described in detail as follows, yet except these were described in detail, the present invention can also have other embodiments.
Can't be effectively and remove photoresist safely, reduce the residual problem of photoresist in order to overcome prior art, the present invention proposes a kind of method of removing photoresist and overcome this problem.
Fig. 2 A is according to the pretreated reaction chamber structure figure of the plasma of the method for the removal photoresist of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 B is the process flow diagram according to the method for the removal photoresist of an embodiment of the invention.Shown in Fig. 2 A and Fig. 2 B, the method for the removal photoresist of present embodiment comprises:
Plasma pre-treatment step 201B, plasma pre-treatment step 201B is used for photoresist layer is carried out pre-service; And remove step 202B, remove step 202B and be used for removing through pretreated photoresist layer.
Specifically, in the present embodiment, the photoresist layer that the needs of wafer surface are removed carries out plasma pre-treatment step 201B earlier.Its reason is, the inventor is by analyzing discovery to the photoresist residual condition of carrying out the wafer surface after photoresist remove to be handled, and the residual zone of photoresist takes place on the wafer injected and the zone of the photoresist crust (may be made of the cross-linked polymer of charing) that produces with regard to the residue that is attached with plasma etching and polymkeric substance and/or by ion before implementing to remove step often.These residues, polymkeric substance or crust may be to the still residual main cause that photoresist is arranged after the wafer surface enforcement photoresist removal step.
Therefore, the purpose of carrying out plasma pre-treatment step 201B is to remove residue after the plasma etching and polymkeric substance and/or injected and the photoresist crust that produces by ion.In follow-up removal step 202B, just can thoroughly remove the photoresist layer of wafer surface like this.That is, present embodiment elder generation using plasma carries out pre-service to photoresist layer and removes residue, polymkeric substance and/or its crust that adheres on this photoresist layer, and makes the photoresist layer attenuation, so that thoroughly remove this photoresist layer in follow-up removal step.Simultaneously, the processing intensity set owing to this plasma pre-service is lower, can not produce harmful effect to the performance of follow-up semiconductor fabrication process and semiconductor devices.After implementing plasma pre-treatment step 201B, remove step 202B and can adopt the wet processing of standard or dry process to carry out, because the wet processing and the dry process of standard belong to the prior art category.Therefore obscure with the present invention's generation for preventing, concrete technological process and the parameter to concrete wet processing and dry process is not elaborated.
Preferably, plasma pre-treatment step 201B comprises employing O
2Plasma carries out pretreated first pre-treatment step to photoresist layer.
Further preferably, in first pre-treatment step, produce O
2The pressure of the reaction chamber 200 of plasma is that 180 millitorrs that is to 220 millitorrs that, the flow of the oxygen that feeds in the reaction chamber 200 is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and first bias power of reaction chamber is 90W to 200W, and second bias power is zero.
Particularly, bias power is coupled on the upper plate electrode 202A through the impedance matching network (not shown) from radio-frequency generator.The typical frequencies of the high-frequency discharge power that applies to upper plate electrode 202A is 27MHz, and wherein 27MHz makes according to production standard, and selecting 27MHz is normal operation for other equipment in the Radio frequency interference (RFI) semiconductor manufacturing shop that prevents to produce.Need to prove, select for use 27MHz can not be interpreted as limitation of the present invention, if along with the change of the upgrading of equipment or standard and the variation of the typical frequencies that causes also should be included scope of the present invention in.First bias power that is applied to upper plate electrode 202A can be between 90W to 200W, wherein, and best results when first bias power that is applied to upper plate electrode 202A is 150W.Simultaneously, second bias power that applies to substrate holder 201A is zero.The flow of the oxygen that feeds in reaction chamber 200 by gas injection system 203A is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, wherein best results when the flow of the oxygen that feeds in reaction chamber 200 is 2000 standard cubic centimeters per minute.Simultaneously, the O for guaranteeing to produce
2The quality of plasma and reaction effect, the pressure of reaction chamber 200 be 180 millitorrs you to 220 millitorrs you, wherein, when the pressure of reaction chamber 200 is 200 millitorrs best results at that time.
Further preferably, the pretreatment time of first pre-treatment step was 60 seconds in second to 120.By production practices, the pretreatment time of first pre-treatment step was controlled at about 90 seconds, residue, polymkeric substance and/or the crust that can reach the surface attachment of the photoresist layer that makes wafer 101 are effectively removed, and photoresist layer is the purpose of corresponding attenuation also, thereby makes photoresist be easy to remove in follow-up removal step.
Present embodiment is by comprising the plasma pre-service of described first pre-treatment step earlier to the photoresist layer of wafer surface, carry out routine again and remove step, the photoresist that can reduce wafer surface effectively is residual, and then effectively improves the performance of semiconductor devices.
Fig. 2 C is the process flow diagram according to the method for the removal photoresist of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.Shown in Fig. 2 A and 2C, this preferred implementation is increased in the second pre-treatment step 202C that carries out after the first pre-treatment step 201C finishes in plasma pre-treatment step 201B.
The second pre-treatment step 202C adopts O
2Plasma carries out pre-service to photoresist layer, in the second pre-treatment step 202C, produces O
2The pressure of the reaction chamber of plasma is that 35 millitorrs that is to 45 millitorrs that, the flow of the oxygen that feeds in the reaction chamber is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, the flow of the carbon monoxide that feeds is 180 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 220 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and first bias power is 250W to 350W, and second bias power is 90W to 150W.
According to the above-mentioned preferred implementation that comprises second pre-treatment step, can shorten the pretreatment time of plasma pre-treatment step 201B, improve pre-service efficient and the pretreating effect of plasma pre-treatment step 201B.
At this moment, the pretreatment time of the first pre-treatment step 201C has bigger shortening with respect to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 B.The purpose of the first pre-treatment step 201C is to remove the residue of plasma etching and polymkeric substance and injected and the crust that produces by ion, so that the carrying out of the second pre-treatment step 202C.Simultaneously, the pre-service intensity of the second pre-treatment step 202C is compared the first pre-treatment step 201C and is also increased.Thereby can be fast and make the photoresist layer attenuation effectively, thereby improve the removal effect that follow-up routine is removed step.Like this, the photoresist that can reduce wafer surface effectively is residual, and then effectively improves the performance of semiconductor devices.
The second pre-treatment step 202C can adopt O
2Plasma carries out pre-service.Particularly, first bias power of the second pre-treatment step 202C is coupled on the upper plate electrode 202A through the impedance matching network (not shown) from radio-frequency generator.The typical frequencies of the high-frequency discharge power that applies to upper plate electrode 202A is 27MHz, and 27MHz makes according to production standard, and selecting 27MHz is normal operation for other equipment in the Radio frequency interference (RFI) workshop that prevents to produce.Need to prove, select for use 27MHz can not be interpreted as limitation of the present invention, if along with the change of the upgrading of equipment or standard and the variation of the typical frequencies that causes also should be included scope of the present invention in.First bias power that is applied to upper plate electrode 202A can be between 250W to 350W.Simultaneously, can be to second bias power that substrate holder 201A applies between the 90W to 150W, its typical frequencies is 2MHz, and the typical frequencies of selecting the reason of 2MHz and the high-frequency discharge power that upper plate electrode 202A applies is that the reason of 27MHz is similar, therefore repeats no more.Wherein, when first bias power that is applied to upper plate electrode 202A is 300W, best results when second bias power that applies to substrate holder 201A is 100W.The flow of the oxygen that feeds in reaction chamber 200 by gas injection system 203A is 1800 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 2200 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and in course of reaction, in reaction chamber 200, feeding carbon monoxide, the flow of the carbon monoxide of feeding is 180 standard cubic centimeters per minute to 220 standard cubic centimeters per minute.Simultaneously, the O for guaranteeing to produce
2The quality of plasma and reaction effect, the pressure in the reaction chamber 200 remain on 35 millitorrs that to 45 millitorrs that.Wherein, when the pressure of reaction chamber 200 be 40 millitorrs you, the flow of oxygen is 2000 standard cubic centimeters per minute, the best results when flow of carbon monoxide is 200 standard cubic centimeters per minute.
Preferably, the pretreatment time of the first pre-treatment step 201C was 9 seconds in second to 11, and the pretreatment time of the second pre-treatment step 202C was 18 seconds in second to 22.By production practices, the pretreatment time of the first pre-treatment step 201C was controlled at about 10 seconds, the pretreatment time of the second pre-treatment step 202C was controlled at about 20 seconds, residue, polymkeric substance and/or the crust that can reach the surface attachment of the photoresist layer that makes wafer 101 are effectively removed, and photoresist layer is the purpose of corresponding attenuation also, thereby makes photoresist be easy to remove in follow-up removal step.
The pretreated pretreatment time of plasma in this preferred implementation is than the pretreated pretreatment time of the plasma of Fig. 2 B illustrated embodiment short (having reduced about half), and residue, polymkeric substance and/or the crust on photoresist surface have been removed effectively, improve the pretreated efficient of whole plasma, and then improved the efficient of the method for removal photoresist of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is the wafer printing glue retention analysis figure that adopts after the method for the described removal photoresist layer of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.As shown in Figure 3, as can be seen, after adopting the method for removal photoresist layer of the present invention, the number of wafer 101 lip-deep photoresist remanent points 103 has been compared great reduction with the prior art shown in Figure 1B, has reached the residual purpose that reduces the wafer surface photoresist.
Therefore, according to the method for removal photoresist of the present invention, the photoresist that can reduce wafer surface is residual, and then effectively improves the performance of semiconductor devices.
The present invention is illustrated by above-mentioned embodiment, but should be understood that, above-mentioned embodiment just is used for for example and illustrative purposes, but not is intended to the present invention is limited in the described embodiment scope.It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that in addition the present invention is not limited to above-mentioned embodiment, can also make more kinds of variants and modifications according to instruction of the present invention, these variants and modifications all drop in the present invention's scope required for protection.Protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalent scope thereof.