A new strong solvent remover is able to solve resist layers tempered at room temperature. It is remarkable that the remover takes the same effect on novolak based as well as PMMA based resists and thus is suited for versatile applications. It must be pointed out, however, that the flash point of the remover is below 21 °C and therefore needs to be handled with care.
The simplest but nevertheless highly effective removers are sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) solutions. Already a 4 % KOH solution will remove basically all novolac-based photo- and e-beam resists within a few seconds.
The classical remover is acetone which is, together with isopropanol, used as cleaning agent in probably every lab worldwide. The dissolving power of acetone for non- or only low-baked films (up to 120 °C) is excellent.
A further new development, the likewise universally applicable remover AR 300-76, is characterized by a much higher flash point of 103°C as compared to AR 600-71.
On September 25, 2009, regulation (EC) No 790/2009 amending EC-GHS regulation (No 1272/2008) on the classification and labelling of substances and mixtures came into force. With this regulation also the new classification of N-
Removers have the task to completely dissolve all resist structures or residues after the respective techonological process step (doting, etching or others) is finished.