LIFT-OFF PROCESS FOR PATTERNING FINE METAL LINES

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A PROCESS FOR PROVIDING A PATTERN ON A SUBSTRATE FOR USE IN A METAL LIFT-OFF PROCESS, THE PROCESS COMPRISING: 1) COATING A SUBSTRATE WITH A LIQUID POSITIVE PHOTORESIST; 2) SOFT BAKING THE COATED SUBSTRATE; 3) CONTACTING THE SUBSTRATE WITH AN AQUEOUS ALKALINE DEVELOPER CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.005 VOLUME PERCENT TO ABOUT 0.05 VOLUME PERCENT OF AN ALKYLENE GLYCOL ALKYL ETHER; 4) PLACING A PATTERNED MASK OVER THE SUBSTRATE; 5) EXPOSING THE SUBSTRATE THROUGH THE MASK; 6) POST EXPOSURE BAKING THE SUBSTRATE; 7) OPTIONALLY, FLOOD EXPOSING THE SUBSTRATE; AND 8) DEVELOPING THE SUBSTRATE WITH AN AQUEOUS ALKALINE DEVELOPER. THE INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO A NOVEL DEVELOPER SOLUTION OF AN AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.005 VOLUME PERCENT TO ABOUT 0.5 VOLUME PERCENT OF AN ALKYLENE GLYCOL ALKYL ETHER AND TO A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SUCH A NOVEL DEVELOPER SOLUTION.