METHOD OF PHOTORESIST REMOVAL IN THE PRESENCE OF A LOW-K DIELECTRIC LAYER

摘要

Described herein are methods and apparatus for removing photoresist in the presence of low-k dielectric layers. In one embodiment, the method includes exciting a first mixture of gases having a ratio of a flow rate of reducing process gas to a flow rate of an oxygen-containing process gas that is between 1:1 and 100:1 to generate a first reactive gas mixture. Next, the method includes exposing the photoresist layer that overlays the low-k dielectric layer on a substrate to the first reactive gas mixture to selectively remove the photoresist layer from the dielectric layer. Next, the method includes exposing the photoresist layer to a second reactive gas mixture to selectively remove the photoresist layer from the dielectric layer. The first and second reactive gas mixtures contain substantially no ions when the substrate is exposed to these mixtures in order to minimize damage to the low-k dielectric layer.