Organic Material Removal by Thermally Activated Ozone Gas

We investigated an alternative technology to conventional organic material removal that replaces sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide (SPM). We assumed that the removal model of organic material by ozone gas was absorption of oxygen radicals, generated by thermal decomposition of ozone, on a surface and subsequent reaction with organic materials. Then we characterized the correlation between removal rate and process parameter, and the validity of the model was verified. It also showed that this method is effective for high dose, ion-implanted photoresists.