Patent ID: 6080680
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G03F,H01L

Abstract:
A method of treating a semiconductor wafer following metal etching which comprises the steps of:(a) positioning the semiconductor wafer in a plasma reaction chamber following metal etching wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises (i) an underlying oxide layer, (ii) a metal barrier layer, (iii) a metal layer, (iv) a photoresist layer and (v) a composite polymer that is attached to a side walls of the metal barrier layer and the metal layer; and(b) dry etching to remove the photoresist that consists of treating said semiconductor wafer with an etchant gas mixture that consists essentially of O.sub.2, a fluorine containing gas, and N.sub.2 wherein the etchant gas mixture is decomposed with microwave radiation until the photoresist layer and the composite polymer are removed, and wherein the amount of N.sub.2 added enhances the selectivity with respect to the photoresist layer relative to the underlying oxide layer and metal barrier layer.