Abstract: Workpieces are loaded into a cleaning chamber. The cleaning chamber is pressurized with a first dense-phase cleaning fluid, the temperature and pressure of the first dense-phase fluid being maintained at less than about 1500 psi using a temperature control device. The workpieces are soaked in the first dense-phase fluid for a predetermined time period. After soaking, the workpieces are further cleaned by applying a second, localized, high-pressure dense-phase fluid to the surface of the workpieces.

Abstract: One example of a separation-material composition for a photo-resist according to the present invention comprises 5.0 weight % of sulfamic acid, 34.7 weight % of H2O, 0.3 weight % of ammonium 1-hydrogen difluoride, 30 weight % of N,N-dimethylacetamide and 30 weight % of diethylene glycol mono-n-buthyl ether. Another example of a separation-material composition for a photo-resist according to the present invention comprises 1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 3.0 weight % of 1-diphosphonic acid, 0.12 weight % of ammonium fluoride, 48.38 weight % of H2O and 48.5 weight % of diethylene glycol mono-n-buthyl ether. The separation-material composition for the photo-resist is mainly used for a medicinal liquid washing liquid/scientific liquid in order to remove the photo-resist residuals and the by-product polymer after an ashing process of a photo-resist mask.

Abstract: One example of a separation-material composition for a photo-resist according to the present invention comprises 5.0 weight % of sulfamic acid, 34.7 weight % of H2O, 0.3 weight % of ammonium 1-hydrogen difluoride, 30 weight % of N,N-dimethylacetamide and 30 weight % of diethylene glycol mono-n-buthyl ether. Another example of a separation-material composition for a photo-resist according to the present invention comprises 1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 3.0 weight % of 1-diphosphonic acid, 0.12 weight % of anmonium fluoride, 48.38 weight % of H2O and 48.5 weight % of diethylene glycol mono-n-buthl ether. The separation-material composition for the photo-resist is mainly used for a medicinal liquid washing liquid/scientific liquid in order to remove the photo-resist residuals and the by-product polymer after an ashing process of a photo-resist mask.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treating a surface of a substrate by foam technology that includes at least one treatment chemical. The invention more particularly relates to the removal of undesired matter from the surface of substrates with small features, where such undesired matter may comprise organic and inorganic compounds such as particles, films from photoresist material, and traces of any other impurities such as metals deposited during planarization or etching. A method according to the present invention for treating a surface of a substrate comprises generating a foam from a liquid composition, wherein the liquid composition comprises a gas; a surfactant; and at least one component selected from the group consisting of a fluoride, a hydroxylamine, an amine and periodic acid; contacting the foam with the surface of a substrate; and, removing the undesired matter from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A composition for the cleaning of residues from substrates can contain from about 0.01 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of one or more fluoride compounds, from about 20 percent by weight to about 50 percent by weight water, from about 20 percent by weight to about 80 percent by weight of an organic amide solvent and from 0 to about 50 weight percent of an organic sulfoxide solvent. The composition can have a pH between about 7 and about 10, alternately from greater than 8 to about 10. Additionally, the composition optionally can contain corrosion inhibitors, chelating agents, surfactants, acids, and/or bases. In use of the composition, a substrate can advantageously be contacted with the composition for a time and at a temperature that permits cleaning of the substrate.

Abstract: The cleaning composition for removing resists includes a salt of hydrofluoric acid and a base not containing a metal (A component), a water-soluble organic solvent (B1 component), at least one organic acid or inorganic acid (C component), water (D component), and, optionally, an ammonium salt (E1 component), and having a pH 4-8. Thus, in manufacturing a semiconductor device, such as a copper interconnecting process, efficiency of removing resist residue and other etching residue after etching or ashing is improved, and corrosion resistance of a copper and an insulating film is also improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dilute aqueous solutions containing phosphoric acid and methods for cleaning plasma etch residue from semiconductor substrates including such dilute aqueous solutions. The solution according to the invention may advantageous contain an alkaline compound, one or more other acid compounds, and/or a fluoride-containing compound and may optionally contain additional components such as organic solvents, chelating agents, amines, and/or surfactants.

Abstract: A substrate is transferred from an environment at about vacuum into a load lock through a first door. The substrate is then sealed within the load lock. The pressure within the load lock is raised to a high pressure above vacuum. A second door coupling the load lock to a high-pressure processing chamber is then opened and the substrate moved from the load lock into the high-pressure chamber. The substrate is then sealed within the high-pressure chamber. High-pressure processing, such as high pressure cleaning or high pressure deposition, is then performed on the substrate within the high-pressure chamber. Subsequently, the second door is opened and the substrate transferred into the load lock. The substrate is then sealed within the load lock. The pressure within the load lock is lowered to about vacuum and the first door opened. The substrate is then removed from the load lock into the environment.

Abstract: A remover composition and method for removing resists from substrates containing nucleophilic amine and at least one solvent is described. Optionally, a chelating agent can also be included in the remover composition. The remover composition is especially suitable for removing a variety of resists from substrates at different stages in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits.

Abstract: A new cleaning chemistry based on a choline compound, such as choline hydroxide, is provided in order to address the problem of dual damascene fabrication. An etch stop inorganic layer at the bottom of a dual damascene structure protects the underlying interconnect of copper and allows a better cleaning. A two step etch process utilizing the etch stop layer is used to achieve the requirements of ULSI manufacturing in a dual damascene structure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to resist and etching residue removing compositions containing at least one nucleophilic amine compound possessing reduction and oxidation potentials, a two-carbon atom linkage alkanolamine compound, and optionally water and/or one or more corrosion inhibitors. The compositions may be substantially free of hydroxylamine, polar organic solvents, water, corrosion inhibitors, or a combination thereof. The compositions are useful in processes for removing resists and etching residue from metal or metal alloy substrates or substrate layers used in micro-circuitry fabrication.

Abstract: A composition for removing resists and etching residue from substrates containing at least one nucleophilic amine compound having oxidation and reduction potentials, at least one organic solvent, water and, optionally, a chelating agent is described. The chelating agent is preferred to be included since it provides added stability and activity to the cleaning composition so that the composition has long term effectiveness. If a chelating agent is not present, the composition, while providing for adequate stripping and cleaning upon initial use of the composition following mixing, has only short term stability. In this latter instance, the nucleophilic amine compound and organic solvent components of the composition preferably are maintained separate from each other until it is desired to use the composition. Thereafter, the components are combined. Following use of the composition, the non-used portion of the composition can be disposed of or be reactivated by the addition of a chelating agent.

Abstract: A new cleaning chemistry based on bis-choline and tris-choline compounds, such as their hydroxides, is provided in order to address the removal of photoresist and flux while minimizing any etching of the substrate.

Abstract: A resist stripping composition capable of reliably stripping off resist residue or polymer residue and keeping damage to the interconnects to a minimum and a method of producing a semiconductor device using the same, where the resist stripping composition comprises a salt of hydrofluoric acid and a base not including a metal, an organic solvent, a sugar alcohol such as xylitol, and water and has a hydrogen ion concentration of at least 8.

Abstract: A composition for removing resists and etching residue from substrates containing at least one nucleophilic amine compound having oxidation and reduction potentials, at least one organic solvent, water and, optionally, a chelating agent is described. The chelating agent is preferred to be included since it provides added stability and activity to the cleaning composition so that the composition has long term effectiveness. If a chelating agent is not present, the composition, while providing for adequate stripping and cleaning upon initial use of the composition following mixing, has only short term stability. In this latter instance, the nucleophilic amine compound and organic solvent components of the composition preferably are maintained separate from each other until it is desired to use the composition. Thereafter, the components are combined. Following use of the composition, the non-used portion of the composition can be disposed of or be reactivated by the addition of a chelating agent.

Abstract: A composition for removing resist, polymeric material and/or etching residue from a substrate comprising titanium or an alloy thereof, the composition comprising hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof and at least one compound having the general formula (I) wherein: R1 and R3 are each independently selected from H, OH, CO2H, halogen, C1–C3 alkyl, C1–C3 alkoxy or (CH2)nOH wherein n is 1, 2 or 3; and R2 is selected from C9–C16 alkyl, or C9–C16 alkoxy

Abstract: A method of producing a compound semiconductor device using a lift-off process. The lift-off process includes forming a resist mask having an electrode opening on an active layer of a compound semiconductor that is on a substrate of a compound semiconductor; forming a metal layer on the resist mask and the active layer in the electrode opening; and dissolving the resist mask and removing the metal layer on the resist mask, leaving the metal layer on the active layer in the electrode opening as an electrode. The resist mask is removed sufficiently by using a resist remover consisting essentially of at least one compound selected from an amine-including compound and nitrogen-including cyclic compounds so that the residual resist mask need not be removed by ashing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a composition for stripping photoresist from substrates comprising: about 5% to about 50% by weight of an alkyl substituted pyrrolidone, an alkyl substituted piperidone, or a mixture thereof, about 0.2% to about 20% of one or more alkanolamines, and about 50% to about 94% of a sulfoxide, sulfoxone, or mixture thereof. Advantageously, the composition can remove copper from a copper substrate at a rate of less than about 10 ? per minute when the substrate is immersed in the composition which is held at 70° C. for 30 minutes and rotated relative to the composition at about 200 revolutions per minute.

Abstract: The present invention relates chemical mechanical planarization (“CMP”) of copper surfaces and describes copper CMP slurries including an oxidizer, one or more hydroxylamine compounds and at least one abrasive. The hydroxylamine compositions can include hydroxylamine nitrate, hydroxylamine, hydroxylamine sulfate, hydroxyl ammonium salts and mixtures thereof. The oxidizers may further include citric acid as a complexing agent for copper. Sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid provide means for modifying the pH of the oxidizer so that the hydroxylamine chemistries are acidic. Some embodiments include corrosion inhibitors such as benzotriazole, 2,4-pentadione dioxime and/or 1,6-dioxaspiro[4,4] nonane 2,7-dione. Some embodiments also include a free radical inhibitor, advantageously hydrazine. Colloidal silica and milled alumina are used as typical abrasive components.

Abstract: Initially, process parameters for dense phase fluid cleaning are determined. Thereafter, a cleaning chamber containing a substrate is pressurized with a dense phase fluid, based on these process parameters. The substrate is then cleaned with the dense phase fluid, again based on these process parameters. Exhaust fluid is subsequently expelled from the cleaning chamber, and thereafter analyzed. The process parameters are then adjusted to adjusted process parameters based on the analysis of the exhaust fluid. Thereafter, the cleaning chamber is again pressurized and cleaning repeated. This pressurization and cleaning is based on the adjusted process parameters. Also, this pressurization and cleaning is repeated until the substrate is sufficiently clean.