Resist stripping and cleaning process solutions for porous methylsilsesquioxane (p-MSQ) low-k dielectric device applications are presented. A downstream plasma photoresist removal process with a gas mixture of helium and hydrogen is shown to be effective without introducing any significant damage to the porous low-k dielectric material. Results are reported on the He/H-2 plasma process, characterization of the effects of the plasma with the low-k material and on the wet-clean enabling features of this resist removal process. A comparison of the He/H-2 plasma process to a low-temperature, low-pressure oxygen plasma process for photoresist removal shows that the He/H-2 process is unreactive with the low-k material, while the O-2 process interacts with and chemically changes the low-k material. The O-2 plasma treated low-k material is incompatible with standard wet cleans. (C) 2003 The Electrochemical Society.