Ashing Method And Ashing Apparatus

Abstract

An ashing device and ashing method that can positively remove resist from a wafer while preventing degradation of the film material properties of exposed porous Low-K film on the wafer. The ashing device of the present invention introduces a gas to a dielectric plasma generating chamber 14 , excites said gas to generate a plasma, and performs plasma processing using said gas plasma on a processing work S in use of a Low-K film. The ashing gas introduced from a gas regulator 20 is an inert gas to which H 2 has been added. The configuration is formed so that plasma is generated from the gas blend, and the resist is removed by the hydrogen radicals generated.

1 . An ashing method of introducing a gas to a plasma generating chamber formed at least in part of a dielectric material, exciting said gas to generate a plasma, and performing plasma processing using said gas plasma on a processing subject in use of a Low-K film,
 said method comprising the steps of:   introducing an inert gas to which H 2  has been added to said plasma generating chamber at a ratio of between 10% and 20%; and;   generating plasma by exciting said inert gas and removing resist on said processing subject by hydrogen radicals that are generated.   
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . The ashing method according to  claim 1 , wherein H 2 O is added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added, plasma is generating using this gas blend, and the resist on said processing subject is removed by hydrogen radicals that are generated. 
   
   
       4 . The ashing method according to  claim 3 , wherein H 2 O is added to said inert gas at a ratio of between 0.1% and 5%. 
   
   
       5 . The ashing method according to  claim 1 , wherein O 2  is added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added, plasma is generated by using this inert gas, and the resist on said processing subject is removed by hydrogen radicals that are generated. 
   
   
       6 . The ashing method according to  claim 5 , wherein O 2  is added to said inert gas at a ratio of between 0.01% and 0.1%. 
   
   
       7 . An ashing device that introduces a gas to a plasma generating chamber formed, at least in part, of dielectric material, excites said gas to generate a plasma, and performs plasma processing using said gas plasma on a processing subject in use of Low-K film, wherein said gas introduced to said plasma generating chamber is an inert gas to which H 2  has been added at a ratio between 1% and 20%. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . The ashing device according to  claim 7 , wherein H 2 O is also added to said inert bas to which H 2  has been added. 
   
   
       10 . The ashing device according to  claim 9 , wherein said H 2 O is added at a ratio of between 0.1% and 5%. 
   
   
       11 . The ashing device according to  claim 7 , wherein O 2  is also added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added. 
   
   
       12 . The ashing device according to  claim 11 , wherein said O 2  is added at a ratio of between 0.01% and 0.1%. 
   
   
       13 . The ashing device according to  claim 7 , wherein said inert gas comprises He. 
   
   
       14 . The ashing device accordingly to  claim 7 , wherein the positional relationship between said processing subject and said plasma generating chamber is arranged to prevent linear irradiation so that ultraviolet light included in said plasma does not directly radiate onto the processing subject from said plasma generating chamber. 
   
   
       15 . The ashing method according to  claim 1 , wherein H 2 O is added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added, plasma is generating using this gas blend, and the resist on said processing subject is removed by hydrogen radicals that are generated. 
   
   
       16 . The ashing method according to  claim 1 , wherein O 2  is added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added, plasma is generated by using this inert gas, and the resist on said processing subject is removed by hydrogen radicals that are generated. 
   
   
       17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . The ashing device according to  claim 7 , wherein O 2  is also added to said inert gas to which H 2  has been added. 
   
   
       19 . The ashing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the inert gas comprises He, and the positional relationship between said processing subject and said plasma generating chamber is arranged to prevent linear irradiation so that ultraviolet light included in said plasma does not directly radiate onto the processing subject from said plasma generating chamber. 
   
   
       20 . The ashing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the inert gas comprises He, and the positional relationship between said processing subject and said plasma generating chamber is arranged to prevent linear irradiation so that ultraviolet light included in said plasma does not directly radiate onto the processing subject from said plasma generating chamber. 
   
   
       21 . The ashing device according to  claim 10 , wherein the inert gas comprises He, and the positional relationship between said processing subject and said plasma generating chamber is arranged to prevent linear irradiation so that ultraviolet light included in said plasma does not directly radiate onto the processing subject from said plasma generating chamber. 
   
   
       22 . The ashing device according to  claim 12 , wherein the inert gas comprises He, and the positional relationship between said processing subject and said plasma generating chamber is arranged to prevent linear irradiation so that ultraviolet light included in said plasma does not directly radiate onto the processing subject from said plasma generating chamber.