Effect of temperature on degradation of polymers for photoresist using ozone microbubbles

Abstract

We studied about an effect of temperature on degradation of polymers for photoresist using ozone microbubbles as an environmentally friendly cleaning technique. The dissolved ozone concentration of ozone microbubbles was decreased with the increasing temperature because the solubility of ozone gas was decreased and self-decomposition of ozone in water was promoted. While, the reactivity between ozone and novolak resin was increased with the increasing temperature. Consequently, novolak resin was most efficiently removed at around 23 ºC. The activated energy for removal of novolak resin using ozone microbubbles was 23 kJ/mol determined from Arrhenius plots. Polyvinyl phenol was removed by ozone microbubbles, and its removal rate was comparable with that of novolak resin. Polymethyl methacrylate without C=C bond or benzene ring structure could not be removed by ozone microbubbles.