• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.55-60
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• 2017

The supercritical $CO_2$ (sc-$CO_2$) mixture and the sc-$CO_2$-based Photoresist(PR) stripping(SCPS) process were applied to the removal of the post etch/ash PR residue on aluminum patterned wafers and the results were observed by scanning of electron microscope(SEM). In the case of MDII wafers, the carbonized PR was able to be effectively removed without pre-stripping by oxygen plasma ashing by using sc-$CO_2$ mixture containing the optimum formulated additives at the proper pressure and temperature, and the same result was also able to be obtained in the case of HDII wafer. It was found that the efficiency of SCPS of ion implanted wafer improved as the temperature of SCPS was high, so a very large amount of MEA in the sc-$CO_2$ mixture could be reduced if the temperature could be increased at condition that a process permits, and the ion implanted photoresist(IIP) on the wafer was able to be removed completely without pre-treatment of plasma ashing by using the only 1 step SCPS process. By using SCPS process, PR polymers formed on sidewalls of metal conductive layers such as aluminum films, titanium and titanium nitride films by dry etching and ashing processes were removed effectively with the minimization of the corrosion of the metal conductive layers.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2017

The result of stripping process for the removal of the post etch/ash Photoresist (PR) residue on an aluminum patterned wafer by using supercritical $CO_2$ ($sc-CO_2$) mixture, was investigated by scanning of electron microscope (SEM) inspection of wafer, measuring the cloud points and visual observation of the state of $sc-CO_2$ mixtures. It was found that $sc-CO_2$ mixtures were made by mixing additives and $sc-CO_2$ should form homogeneous and transparent phase (HTP) in order to effectively and uniformly remove the post etch/ash PR residue on the aluminum patterned wafer using them. The additives were formulated by mixing and co-solvents like an amine compound and fluorosurfactants used as HTP agents, and the PR residue on the wafer were able to be rapidly and effectively removed using the $sc-CO_2$ mixture of HTP. The five kinds of additives were formulated by the recipe of mixing co-solvents and surfactants, which were able to remove PR residue on the wafer by mixing with $sc-CO_2$ at the stripping temperature range from 40 to $80^{\circ}C$. The five kinds of $sc-CO_2$ mixtures which were named as PR removers were made, which were able to form HTP within the above described stripping temperature. The cloud points of $sc-CO_2$ mixtures were measured to find correlation between them and HTP.