Patent ID: 8222160

Claim:
A method for forming a via and trench pattern in a semiconductor structure formed on a semiconductor substrate, comprising: etching a via into a dielectric layer of the semiconductor structure formed on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor structure comprising a base cap layer, a dielectric layer formed over the base cap layer, and a hardmask formed over the dielectric layer; filling the via with a sacrifice material, the sacrifice material comprising a metal or a metal compound; placing a photomask over the semiconductor structure, where the photomask is developed to have a trench pattern; etching one or more of the hardmask layer and the dielectric layer with the trench pattern; and removing the sacrifice material by contact with a remover solution comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of an acid compound, water, a base compound, and an oxidant with the proviso that the sacrifice material and the sacrifice layer is not contacted by either a solution comprising more than 30% by weight of an organic solvent or a solution comprising a fluorine-containing organic compound.