Inverse resist coating process
First Claim
1. A method of processing a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first coating comprising a resist material on a substrate surface;
irradiating and developing the first coating to form a patterned first coating on the substrate surface;
forming a second coating over the substrate surface;
removing the patterned first coating while leaving the second coating to form a pattern on the substrate that is approximately the negative of the pattern formed by the first coating prior to its removal; and
using the patterned second coating as a protective layer while subjecting the substrate to further processing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides systems and processes that form the inverse (photographic negative) of a patterned first coating. The patterned first coating is usually provided by a resist. After the first coating is patterned, a coating of a second material is provided thereover. The uppermost layer of the second coating is removed, where appropriate, to expose the patterned first coating. The patterned first coating is subsequently removed, leaving the second coating material in the form of a pattern that is the inverse pattern of the first coating pattern. The process may be repeated with a third coating material to reproduce the pattern of the first coating in a different material. Prior to applying the second coating, the patterned first coating may be trimmed by etching, thereby reducing the feature size and producing sublithographic features. In addition to providing sublithographic features, the invention gives a simple, efficient, and high fidelity method of obtaining inverse coating patterns.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of processing a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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forming a first coating comprising a resist material on a substrate surface;
irradiating and developing the first coating to form a patterned first coating on the substrate surface;
forming a second coating over the substrate surface;
removing the patterned first coating while leaving the second coating to form a pattern on the substrate that is approximately the negative of the pattern formed by the first coating prior to its removal; and
using the patterned second coating as a protective layer while subjecting the substrate to further processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate comprising:
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forming a patterned first coating;
forming a second coating with a pattern that is the negative of the first coating pattern; and
selectively etching the substrate surface where the second coating is absent.
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20. A method of forming sublithographic features in a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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forming a patterned first coating on a substrate by coating the substrate with a resist, exposing the resist, and developing the resist;
etching the first coating to form a modified pattern that has features that are sublithographic for the resist and method of exposure used to form the patterned first coating;
forming a second coating over at least that portion of the substrate surface not covered by the patterned first coating;
removing the patterned first coating while leaving the second coating to form a pattern that is approximately the negative of the pattern formed by the first coating after etching; and
etching the substrate using the second coating as a mask.
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21. A system for forming an inverse resist coating on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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a chamber for patterning a first coating comprising a resist material on a substrate surface;
a first dispenser for depositing a second coating over the substrate surface;
a second dispenser for depositing a developer for removing the patterned first coating while leaving the second coating to form a pattern on the substrate that is approximately the negative of the pattern formed by the first coating prior to its removal;
a measuring system for measuring at least one operating parameter within the chamber, wherein the operating parameter is required for patterning the first coating, depositing the second coating, or depositing the developer for removing the patterned first coating;
a processor operatively coupled to the measuring system and at least one of the first dispenser and the second dispenser, the processor receiving operating parameter data from the measuring system and the processor using the data to control at least one of the first dispenser and the second dispenser to form the inverse resist coating. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification