Patent ID: 7452749

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, which comprises: forming a photoresist layer over a semiconductor substrate; forming openings in said photoresist layer; forming one of a nickel layer and a nickel-based metal layer on or above said semiconductor substrate in each of said openings by using a first plating process; washing said semiconductor substrate, on or above which said one of said nickel layer and said nickel-based metal layer is formed in each of said openings, with a pure water; washing said semiconductor substrate, which is washed with said pure water, with one of an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and an aqueous sulfuric acid solution; after said washing said semiconductor substrate with one of an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and an aqueous sulfuric acid solution, forming a protective metal layer on said one of said nickel layer and said nickel-based metal layer in each of said openings by using a second plating process; and after said forming said protective metal layer on said one of said nickel layer and said nickel-based metal layer in each of said openings, removing said photoresist layer from said semiconductor substrate.