Paul Edmund Schilling

US Patent:

6500605, Dec 31, 2002

Filed:

Oct 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/697227

Inventors:

William H. Mullee - Portland OR
Maximilian A. Biberger - Palo Alto CA
Paul E. Schilling - Granite Bay CA

Assignee:

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

International Classification:

G03F 742

US Classification:

430329, 430311, 430331

Abstract:

A method of removing photoresist and residue from a substrate begins by maintaining supercritical carbon dioxide, an amine, and a solvent in contact with the substrate so that the amine and the solvent at least partially dissolve the photoresist and the residue. Preferably, the amine is a tertiary amine. Preferably, the solvent is selected from the group consisting of DMSO, EC, NMP, acetyl acetone, BLO, acetic acid, DMAC, PC, and a mixture thereof. Next, the photoresist and the residue are removed from the vicinity of the substrate. Preferably, the method continues with a rinsing step in which the substrate is rinsed in the supercritical carbon dioxide and a rinse agent. Preferably, the rinse agent is selected from the group consisting of water, alcohol, a mixture thereof, and acetone. In an alternative embodiment, the amine and the solvent are replaced with an aqueous fluoride.