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Janardhan Devrajan & Neil Fernandes, Novellus Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

The key driver for photoresist strip applications in semiconductor fabs has always been lowest cost of ownership with maximum reliability. The unique multi-station sequential processing architecture of the GAMMA platform has enabled the industry’s highest capital productivity, while providing the process engineer with the flexibility to include a number of varied applications such as bulk photoresist strip, high dose implant strip, photoresist etchback, and soft silicon etch on the same platform. This article discusses the technical challenges of these processes and describes the product features that enable simple approaches to meeting them without compromising on the system throughput. Details are also provided on the ability of the GAMMA 2130 system to simplify the post-strip wet clean through the dry removal of sputtered oxides and implant residues.