Method for Contaminant Removal

Abstract

Method for removing contaminants from a surface during semiconductor fabrication. A preferred embodiment comprises developing a resist layer on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate, curing the developed resist layer, and cleaning the developed resist layer with a developer solution to remove contaminants. The cleaning makes use of the same developer solution used to develop the resist layer, so the cleaning makes use of a process that already exists and requires no additional investment to implement, while the curing stabilizes the developed resist layer so that the cleaning does not damage the developed resist layer.

1 . A method for cleaning contaminants from a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
 developing a resist layer on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate;   curing the developed resist layer; and   cleaning the developed resist layer with a developer solution to remove contaminants.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the developing comprises:
 patterning the resist layer; and   applying the developer solution to remove portions of the patterned resist layer.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the developer solution used to remove contaminants is also used to develop the resist layer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the resist layer comprises an I-line resist or a deep ultraviolet resist, and wherein the developer solution comprises tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide in solution. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the curing comprises stabilizing the developed resist layer. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the curing comprises an ultraviolet cure with a heat source. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the curing comprises an ultraviolet light with wavelength ranging from 270 nm to 330 nm and a cure temperature of about 180 Celsius for about 90 seconds. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning comprises rinsing the semiconductor substrate with the developer solution. 
   
   
       9 - 20 . (canceled)