Processes for treating a substrate and removing resist from a substrate

Abstract

The invention includes a process whereby a solvent is utilized to remove soluble portions of a resist, and subsequently the solvent can be removed with a gas-fortified liquid. In particular aspects, the gas-fortified liquid emits bubbles during the removal of the solvent. Additionally, the gas-fortified liquid can be utilized to remove residual resist scum, and in such aspects the gas-fortified liquid can emit bubbles during the scum removal.

1 . A process for treating a substrate comprising: 
 providing a substrate having resist thereon;    adjusting a pH of a liquid with a gas; and    applying the pH-adjusted liquid to the resist.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2  wherein the pH-adjusted liquid has a pH less than that of the liquid prior to pH adjustment.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the pH-adjusted liquid is applied to the resist subsequent to the removal of a portion of the resist.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the gas comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the gas consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the gas consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein a concentration of the gas within the pH-adjusted liquid is greater than the concentration of the gas within the liquid prior to pH adjustment.  
     
     
         12 . A process for treating a substrate comprising: 
 providing a substrate having resist thereon;    adjusting the surface tension of a liquid with a gas; and    applying the surface-tension-adjusted liquid to the resist.    
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the surface tension of the surface-tension-adjusted liquid is less than that of the liquid prior to surface tension adjustment.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the surface-tension-adjusted liquid is applied to the resist subsequent to the removal of a portion of the resist.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the gas comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the gas consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the gas consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the concentration of the gas within the surface-tension-adjusted liquid is greater than the gas concentration of the liquid prior to surface tension adjustment.  
     
     
         23 . A process for treating a substrate comprising: 
 providing a substrate having resist thereon; and    applying a gas-fortified liquid to the resist.    
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the gas-fortified liquid is applied to the resist subsequent to removal of a portion of the resist.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         32 . A process for rinsing a resist having channels therein, comprising: 
 providing a resist supported by a substrate, wherein channels extend into the resist; and    rinsing the resist with a gas-fortified liquid.    
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the gas of the gas-fortified liquid consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 32  wherein the liquid of the gas-fortified liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         40 . A process for treating a substrate comprising: 
 providing a substrate having resist thereon; and    applying an effervescent liquid thereto.    
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 40  wherein the substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 41  wherein the effervescent liquid is applied to the resist subsequent to the removal of at least a portion of the resist.  
     
     
         43 . The process of  claim 42  wherein the liquid of the effervescent liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         44 . The process of  claim 43  wherein the effervescent liquid emits a gas comprising carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         45 . A process for treating a semiconductor substrate comprising; 
 providing a semiconductor substrate having liquid thereon; and    removing the liquid from the substrate as bubbles of a gas are emitted from the liquid.    
     
     
         46 . The process of  claim 45  wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         47 . The process of  claim 46  wherein the semiconductor substrate includes a layer of resist.  
     
     
         48 . The process of  claim 47  wherein the liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         49 . The process of  claim 48  wherein the gas comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 45  wherein the gas consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         51 . The process of  claim 45  wherein the gas consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         52 . The process of  claim 45  wherein the liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         53 . The process of  claim 45  wherein the liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         54 . A process for treating a semiconductor substrate comprising: 
 providing a semiconductor substrate;    forming a resist layer on the semiconductor substrate;    exposing a first portion of the resist layer to radiation while not exposing a second portion of the resist layer;    selectively removing one of the first or the second portions relative to the other of the first and second portions with a solvent, thereby forming a patterned resist; and    removing the solvent with a liquid, wherein the liquid has been fortified with a gas.    
     
     
         55 . A process according to  claim 54  wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         56 . A process according to  claim 55  wherein the liquid comprises water.  
     
     
         57 . A process according to  claim 56  wherein the gas comprises carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         58 . A process according to  claim 54  wherein the gas consists essentially of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         59 . A process according to  claim 54  wherein the gas consists of carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         60 . A process according to  claim 54  wherein the liquid consists essentially of water.  
     
     
         61 . A process according to  claim 54  wherein the liquid consists of water.  
     
     
         62 . A process for treating a semiconductor substrate comprising: 
 providing a semiconductor substrate comprising monocrystalline silicon;    forming a resist layer on the semiconductor substrate;    exposing a first portion of the resist layer to radiation while not exposing a second portion of the resist layer;    selectively removing one of the first or the second portions relative to the other of the first and second portions with a solvent thereby forming a patterned resist; and    removing the solvent with water, wherein the water has been fortified with carbon dioxide.    
     
     
         63 . A process according to  claim 62  wherein the water emits carbon dioxide while removing the solvent.