• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.357-363
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• 2017

In this study, the supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$)/ n-butyl acetate (n-BA) co-solvent system was employed to remove an unexposed negative photoresist (PR) from the surface of a silicon wafer. In addition, the selectivity of the $scCO_2$/n-BA co-solvent system was confirmed for the unexposed and exposed negative PR. Optimum conditions for removal of the unexposed PR were obtained from various conditions such as pressure, temperature and n-BA ratio. The n-BA was highly soluble in $scCO_2$ without cloud point and phase separation in mostly experimental conditions. However, the $scCO_2$/n-BA co-solvent was phase separated at 100 bar, above $80^{\circ}C$. The unexposed and exposed PR was swelled in $scCO_2$ solvent at all experimental conditions. The complete removal of unexposed PR was achieved from the reaction condition of 160 bar, 10 min, $40^{\circ}C$ and 75 wt% n-BA in $scCO_2$, as measured by ellipsometry. The exposed photoresist showed high stability in the $scCO_2$/n-BA co-solvent system, which indicated that the $scCO_2$/n-BA co-solvent system has high selectivity for the PR removal in photo lithograph process. The $scCO_2$/n-BA co-solvent system not only prevent swelling of exposed PR, but also provide efficient and powful performance to removal unexposed PR.