Process solutions comprising one or more surfactants are used to reduce
the number of defects in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In
certain preferred embodiments, the process solution of the present
invention may reduce post-development defects such as pattern collapse
when employed as a rinse solution either during or after the development
of the patterned photoresist layer. Also disclosed is a method for
reducing the number of pattern collapse defects on a plurality of
photoresist coated substrates employing the process solution of the
present invention.