Method of forming fine patterns using silicon oxide layer

• US 20040029052A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Jong-ho, Chu, Kang-soo, Park, Jae-eun, Lee, Joo-won
• Granted Patent: US 6,989,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/314
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/40 Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/405 Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0274 Photolithographic processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32139 using masks

Abstract

Provided is a method of forming a fine pattern, in which a silicon oxide layer is formed on a photoresist pattern and dry etching is performed on the resultant structure. According to the method, a photoresist pattern is formed on a material layer on which a fine pattern is to be formed, a silicon oxide layer is conformally deposited on the photoresist pattern without damaging the photoresist pattern, and dry etching is performed on a lower layer. During the dry etching, spacers are formed along the sidewalls of the photoresist pattern, and then, a polymer layer is formed on the photoresist pattern. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the thinning of the photoresist pattern so that a desired pattern can be obtained, and further, to prevent striation or wiggling from occurring on the patterned material layer.

Claims

1. A method of forming a fine pattern by etching a material layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

forming a photoresist layer on the material layer;

forming a photoresist pattern by performing exposure and developing processes on the photoresist layer;

forming a first silicon oxide layer conformally on the material layer and the photoresist pattern without damaging the photoresist pattern; and

forming a material layer pattern by dry etching the material layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed at a temperature between room temperature and 400°

C.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed to a thickness of less than 200 Å

.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed using atomic layer deposition (ALD).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the material layer pattern is a line-type pattern.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the material layer pattern is one of a bit line pattern and a word line pattern.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the material layer is a stacked structure including a second silicon oxide layer, a polysilicon layer, a metal silicide layer, and an anti-reflection layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the material layer pattern is a hole-type pattern.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the material layer pattern is a hole-type pattern.

9. A method of forming a fine pattern by etching a material layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:

forming a photoresist layer on the material layer;

forming a photoresist pattern by performing exposure and developing processes on the photoresist layer;

forming a silicon oxide layer conformally on the material layer and the photoresist pattern without damaging the photoresist pattern;

performing a first dry etching on the material layer under a process condition in which the etch rate of the first silicon oxide layer is higher than that of the photoresist pattern; and

forming a material layer pattern by performing a second dry etching on the material layer under a process condition in which the etch rate of the first silicon oxide layer is lower than that of the photoresist pattern.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed at a temperature between room temperature and 400°

C.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed to a thickness of less than 200 Å

.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first silicon oxide layer is formed using ALD.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the first dry etching comprises forming spacers along the sidewalls of the photoresist patterns.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the second drying etching comprises forming a polymer layer on the photoresist pattern.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the material layer pattern is a line-type pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the material layer pattern is one of a bit line pattern and a word line pattern.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the material layer is a stacked structure including a second silicon oxide layer, a polysilicon layer, a metal silicide layer, and an anti-reflection layer.