Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive... – Removal of imaged layers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2002-07-23
Schilling, Richard L. (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive...
Removal of imaged layers
C430S331000, C510S176000, C510S175000, C548S317500, C134S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06423480
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remover composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remover composition used for removing photoresists and residues in a process of producing a semiconductor element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, formation of finer patterns having high precision is required with development of integrated circuits having higher density, consequently, a dry etching method using a halogen-based gas is frequently used as an etching method instead of a conventional chemical etching method, and further, treatments such as ashing by oxygen plasma, ion implantation and the like are conducted.
By such a dry etching method, ashing treatment and the like, a photoresist film is oxidized by a halogen-based etching gas, oxygen or the like, as a result, the photoresist film having organic film like property is converted to that having inorganic film like property, further, by an ion implantation treatment, the film gets poor solubility.
A remover composition is used to remove photoresists and residues after dry etching remaining on the surface parts of wiring layers and insulation film layers , side wall parts of wiring layers and bottom parts of via hole produced in forming wiring layers of a conductive metal and via hole.
Conventionally, there are used, as a remover composition, mixed solutions of organic alkalis, inorganic alkalis, organic acids, inorganic acids, and polar organic solvents, or aqueous solutions thereof, and for example, JP-A No. 59-49539 discloses a remover composed of a 2-pyrrolidinone compound and a dialkylsulfone compound, JP-A No. 4-350660 discloses a remover composed of 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone and dimethylsulfoxide, and JP-B No. 6-12455 discloses a remover composed of an alkanolamine with a sulfonic compound and glycol monoalkyl ether, and the like.
Further, with development of semiconductor elements having finer structures, corrosion of a metal film used in a wiring layer is also a problem in a process for removing resists and a process for removing residues after dry etching. When a metal film used in a wiring layer is corroded, resistance increases, and problems occur such as increase in power consumption, heat generation from a semiconductor element, and the like.
However, the conventional remover composition as described above has problems that an ability thereof to remove resists and residues after dry etching is still insufficient, a metal film used in a wiring layer is corroded, and the like.
Therefore, a remover composition which has further higher removing ability and in which corrosion of a metal film used in a wiring layer does not occur easily is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a remover composition which causes extremely low corrosion of materials such as an insulation film, metal film and the like constituting a semiconductor element in a process of producing the semiconductor element, and has a high ability to remove residues and photoresists formed in producing the semiconductor element by solving the above-mentioned problems.
The present inventors have intensively studied a removing composition having no above-described problems, and resultantly, found that a removing composition obtained by adding a cyclic urea compound having a specific structure has extremely low corrosive effect on materials such as an insulation film, metal film and the like and has a high ability to remove residues and photoresists formed in producing a semiconductor element, and have completed the present invention.
Namely, the present invention relates to [1] a remover composition obtained by adding 1 to 90% by weight of a cyclic urea compound represented by the following general formula (I):
wherein, each of R
1
and R
2
independently represents a hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, carboxyl group or alkyl group which may be substituted, and Z represents an oxygen atom or sulfur atom.
Also, the present invention relates to [2] a remover composition containing 1 to 90% by weight of a cyclic urea compound represented by the general formula (I).
Further, the present invention relates to [3] a process for removing a photoresist by using the above-mentioned remover composition [1], and [4] a process for removing a residue formed in producing a semiconductor by using the above-mentioned remover composition [1].
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be illustrated in detail below.
The remover composition of the present invention is obtained by adding 1 to 90% by weight of a cyclic urea compound of the general formula (I), or contains 1 to 90% by weight of a cyclic urea compound represented by the general formula (I). The additional amount or content of the cyclic urea compound is preferably from 10 to 40% by weight.
Specifically, the remover composition of the present invention is obtained by adding the above-mentioned cyclic urea compound to water and/or organic solvent, or comprises the above-mentioned cyclic urea compound in water and/or organic solvent.
Namely, the remover composition of the present invention is obtained by adding a cyclic urea compound of the general formula (I) to water and/or water-soluble organic solvent in an amount of 1 to 90% by weight, or contains a cyclic urea compound of the general formula (I) in water and/or water-soluble organic solvent in an amount of 1 to 90% by weight. The additional amount or content of the cyclic urea compound is preferably from 10 to 60% by weight, particularly preferably from 10 to 40% by weight.
When the concentration is less than 1% by weight, removing property on a photoresist and etching residue is insufficient. While, when over 90% by weight, removing property on an etching residue is insufficient.
In a cyclic urea compound of the general formula (I) in the present invention, each of R
1
and R
2
independently represents a hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, carboxyl group or alkyl group which may be substituted. Z represent an oxygen atom (O) or sulfur atom (S).
When R
1
and R
2
are an alkyl group which may be substituted, groups represented by the following general formula (II):
—(CH
2
)
n
—X (II)
wherein, n represents an integer of 1 or more. X represents hydrogen, hydroxyl group, methoxy group or ethoxy group, are listed, independently, for R
1
and R
2
.
Preferable R
1
and R
2
represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted of the general formula (II), and n represents preferably from 1 to 4, particularly preferably from 1 to 2, from the standpoint of a sufficient ability on removing property of a photoresist and etching residue. Further, it is preferable that R
1
═R
2
.
Examples of an cyclic urea compound of the general formula (I) include 4,5-dihydroxy-2-imidazolidinone, 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-imidazolidinone, 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-bis(methoxymethyl)-2-imidazolidinone and the like.
Examples of an organic solvent in the present invention include alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-butanol, n-butyl alcohol, pentanol, ethylene glycol, glycerin and the like; amides such as N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and the like; lactones such as &ggr;-butyrolactone and the like; esters such as propyl acetate, butyl acetate, butyl propionate, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, methyl lactate, ethyl lactate and the like; ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, acetyl acetone, methyl butyl ketone, 3-pentanone, 2-heptanone and the like; ethers such as diethyl ether, dipropyl ether, dibutyl ether, oxyrane, dioxane and the like; glycol monoethers such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, triethylene glycol monomet
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Schilling Richard L.
Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
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