IP Library Granted Patent US 7,527,921
Granted Patent B2
US 7,527,921 · App. 11/475,154 · Granted May 5, 2009

Method of treating and removing a photoresist pattern and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,527,921
App. No.
11/475,154
Granted
May 5, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of treating and removing a photoresist pattern and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. Other example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of treating a photoresist pattern and a method of removing a photoresist pattern formed using a photoresist composition suitable for argon fluoride (ArF). In a method of removing a photoresist pattern, an ozone vapor including a water vapor and an ozone gas may be provided onto the photoresist pattern to remove a hydrophobic group from a photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern. A cleaning solution may be provided to make the photoresist pattern water-soluble. A cleaning process may be performed on the photoresist pattern to remove the photoresist pattern. The photoresist pattern may be effectively removed without an increased processing time and/or damage to a substrate.

Claims (28)

1. A method of treating a photoresist pattern comprising:

providing an ozone vapor including a water vapor and an ozone gas onto the photoresist pattern to remove a hydrophobic group from a photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern; and

providing a cleaning solution including an acid or an alkali solution to make the photoresist pattern soluble in water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photoresist resin includes an acrylate polymer or a methacrylate polymer including a carbon-carbon single bond.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ozone vapor includes a hydroxyl ion (OH − ).

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a cleaning process using water on the photoresist pattern to remove the photoresist pattern.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydrophobic group from the photoresist resin is removed by the hydroxyl ion generated from a reaction between the water vapor and the ozone gas.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ozone vapor has an ozone density of about 150 g/m 3 to about 250 g/m 3 .

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the ozone vapor and providing the cleaning solution including the acid solution or the alkali solution are performed at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 120° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the ozone vapor and providing the cleaning solution including the acid solution or the alkali solution are performed at a pressure of about 40 kPa to about 100 kPa.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the photoresist pattern is made to be soluble in water by binding the hydroxyl ion and one of a hydrogen ion (H + ) and an alkali ion instead of the hydrophobic group in the photoresist resin.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the photoresist pattern, wherein forming the photoresist pattern includes:

forming a structure on a substrate;

adhering a photoresist composition for ArF on the structure to form a photoresist film;

performing a light-exposure process or a developing process on the photoresist film to form the photoresist pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the structure may include a metal layer, a metal oxide layer, a metal nitride layer, an oxide layer, a polysilicon layer and a barrier layer.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an exposed portion of the structure is selectively etched using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask to form a structure pattern having an opening.

13. A method of treating a photoresist pattern comprising:

providing an ozone vapor including a water vapor and an ozone gas onto the photoresist pattern to remove a hydrophobic group from a photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern;

providing an acid or an alkali solution to make the photoresist pattern soluble in water; and

performing a cleaning process using water on the photoresist pattern to remove the photoresist pattern.

14. A method of treating a photoresist pattern comprising:

removing a hydrophobic group from a photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern by providing an ozone vapor including a water vapor and an ozone gas onto the photoresist pattern to form a positive ion-binding site in the photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern; and

providing an acid or an alkali solution to make the photoresist pattern soluble in water,

wherein the acid solution or the alkali solution provide a positive ion including a hydrogen ion or an alkali ion binding the positive ion-binding site in the photoresist resin included in the photoresist pattern.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the positive ion-binding site in the photoresist resin includes a carboxyl ion (COO − ) having a negative charge.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2006
From: CHUNG, DAE-HYUK; KANG, DAE-KEUN; CHA, SE-HO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018017/0679 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2005-0056082 · Jun 28, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060292491A1 · Dec 28, 2006