Lithographic process using a chemical amplification resist and steps for limiting creep of the resist
First Claim
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1. A lithographic process comprising:
- a) depositing, on a surface of a substrate, a resist incorporating dissolution inhibitors and protection agents for protecting the substrate from the effects of a given treatment, the substrate protection agents being sensitive to a treatment for inactivating the dissolution inhibitors;
b) exposing the surface carrying the resist to a first sensitizing radiation through a mask defining masked areas and exposed areas of the resist, so as to generate a first type of compounds in the exposed areas;
c) heating the resist so that the compounds of the first type inactivate at least some of the dissolution inhibitors in the exposed areas;
d) developing the resist by means of a dissolution liquid so as to selectively dissolve the resist in the exposed areas;
e) exposing at least part of the surface of the substrate to a second sensitizing radiation so as to generate compounds of the first type in at least some of said masked areas; and
f) neutralizing the compounds of the first type with compounds of a second type which are brought into contact with the residual resist.
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Abstract
A lithographic process employing a resist for masking a substrate includes additional steps for limiting creep of the resist. The process is suitable for chemical amplification resists incorporating substrate protection agents sensitive to the same inactivation treatment as dissolution inhibitors of the resist. The additional steps are carried out after the development of the resist by dissolution. The steps include an additional step of sensitizing the residual resist on the substrate after the development, followed by a step of bringing the residual resist into contact with neutralization compounds.
7 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A lithographic process comprising:
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a) depositing, on a surface of a substrate, a resist incorporating dissolution inhibitors and protection agents for protecting the substrate from the effects of a given treatment, the substrate protection agents being sensitive to a treatment for inactivating the dissolution inhibitors;
b) exposing the surface carrying the resist to a first sensitizing radiation through a mask defining masked areas and exposed areas of the resist, so as to generate a first type of compounds in the exposed areas;
c) heating the resist so that the compounds of the first type inactivate at least some of the dissolution inhibitors in the exposed areas;
d) developing the resist by means of a dissolution liquid so as to selectively dissolve the resist in the exposed areas;
e) exposing at least part of the surface of the substrate to a second sensitizing radiation so as to generate compounds of the first type in at least some of said masked areas; and
f) neutralizing the compounds of the first type with compounds of a second type which are brought into contact with the residual resist. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A semiconductor fabrication process wherein unexposed areas of a resist exist on a substrate surface, the process comprising:
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exposing the substrate to radiation without use of a lithographic mask to release an acid from the unexposed areas of resist; and
exposing the substrate to a basic compound to neutralize the released acid in the unexposed areas and inhibit creep of the unexposed areas of resist during subsequent processing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for semiconductor fabrication, comprising:
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using lithographic processing techniques to define an unexposed area of resist on a substrate which defines a feature having a width dimension of less than or equal to 180 nanometers; and
processing the unexposed area of resist to inhibit creep of the resist beyond the 180 nanometer width during subsequent processing of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification