Methods Of Forming Structures Supported By Semiconductor Substrates

• US 20090291397A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: deVilliers, Anton
• Granted Patent: US 10,151,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/319
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/40 Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0337 characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks, sidewalls, or to modify the mask, e.g. pre-treatment, post-treatment

Abstract

Some embodiments include methods of forming structures supported by semiconductor substrates. Radiation-imageable material may be formed over a substrate and patterned into at least two separated features. A second material may be formed over the features and across one or more gaps between the features. At least one substance may be released from the features and utilized to alter a portion of the second material. The altered portion of the second material may be selectively removed relative to another portion of the second material which is not altered. Also, the features of radiation-imageable material may be selectively removed relative to the altered portion of the second material. The second material may contain one or more inorganic components dispersed in an organic composition. The substance released from the features of radiation-imageable material may be acid which forms cross-links within such organic composition, an hydroxyl, or any other suitable substance.

Claims

1. A method of forming structures, comprising:

forming a radiation-imageable material over a semiconductor substrate;

photolithographically patterning the radiation-imageable material into at least two separated features;

the separated features having one or more gaps between them;

forming a second material over the at least two separated features, and across the one or more gaps between the at least two separated features;

baking the features having the second material thereover to release at least one substance which alters the second material;

the non-altered second material being selectively removable relative to the altered second material, and the features being selectively removable relative to the altered material;

the baking transferring the at least one substance from the features into regions of the second material proximate the features to alter said regions while leaving other regions of the second material non-altered;

selectively removing the non-altered regions of the second material relative to the altered regions of the second material; and

selectively removing the features relative to the altered regions of the second material to leave at least one structure of the altered regions of the second material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material comprises one or more inorganic components dispersed in an organic composition that is cross-linkable upon exposure to acid, wherein the at least one substance released from the features includes acid, and wherein the altering of said regions comprises forming cross-links within the organic composition upon exposure to the acid released from the features.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more inorganic components include silicon.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more inorganic components include at least metal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the second material comprises a mixture which includes one or more components dispersed in an organic composition that is cross-linkable upon exposure to acid;

the at least one substance released from the features includes acid;

the altering of said regions comprises forming cross-links within the organic composition upon exposure to the acid released from the features; and

said one or more components include one or more of titanium, carbon, fluorine, bromine, silicon and germanium.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a base semiconductor material and one or more materials over said base semiconductor material;

and further comprising utilizing said at least one structure of the altered regions of the second material as a mask during an etch into at least one of said one or more materials.

7. A method of forming structures supported by a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

forming at least two separated photoresist features over a semiconductor substrate;

forming a material over the at least two photoresist features, and across one or more gaps between the at least two photoresist features;

the photoresist features being configured to release at least one substance which alters the material;

the non-altered material being selectively removable relative to the altered material, and the photoresist features being selectively removable relative to the altered material;

releasing the at least one substance from the photoresist features and into regions of the material proximate the photoresist features to alter said regions;

said regions thereby becoming a portion of the material which is altered while another portion of the material remains non-altered;

selectively removing the non-altered portion of the material relative to the altered portion of the material; and

selectively removing the photoresist features relative to the altered portion of the material to leave at least one structure of the altered portion of the material over the semiconductor substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the material comprises one or more inorganic components dispersed in an organic composition that is cross-linkable upon exposure to acid, wherein the at least one substance released from the photoresist features includes acid, and wherein the altering of said regions comprises forming cross-links within the organic composition upon exposure to the acid released from the photoresist features.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more inorganic components include silicon.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more inorganic components include at least metal.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the material comprises a mixture which includes one or more components dispersed in an organic composition that is cross-linkable upon exposure to acid;

the at least one substance released from the photoresist features includes acid;

the altering of said regions comprises forming cross-links within the organic composition upon exposure to the acid released from the photoresist features; and

said one or more components include one or more of titanium, carbon, fluorine, bromine, silicon and germanium.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a base semiconductor material and one or more materials over said base semiconductor material;

and further comprising utilizing said at least one structure of the altered portion of the material as a mask during an etch into at least one of said one or more materials.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said at least one structure of the altered portion of the material comprises a tube.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein said at least one structure of the altered portion of the material comprises a plurality of non-tubular pedestals.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the altered portion of the material extends over the photoresist features;

and further comprising, prior to the selective removal of the photoresist feature relative to the altered portion of the material, removing the altered portion of the material from over the photoresist features while leaving the altered portion of the material along sidewalls of the photoresist features.