Variable Resist Protecting Groups
First Claim
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1. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone development procedure, comprising:
- forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups;
creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high exposure regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium exposure regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low exposure regions having a third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions;
determining a first threshold profile for a first positive tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using at least one of the first number of de-protected groups in the high exposure regions, the second number of de-protected groups in the medium exposure regions, and the third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions;
determining a first set of limits for a first dual-tone development procedure;
modifying the first threshold profile if the first threshold profile exceeds one or more of the first set of limits; and
developing the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed at least one of the first set of limits.
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Abstract
A method and system for patterning a substrate using a dual-tone development process is described. The method and system comprise using a resist material having a polymer backbone with a plurality of protecting groups attached thereto to improve process latitude and critical dimension uniformity for the dual-tone development process.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone development procedure, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high exposure regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium exposure regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low exposure regions having a third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first positive tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using at least one of the first number of de-protected groups in the high exposure regions, the second number of de-protected groups in the medium exposure regions, and the third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; determining a first set of limits for a first dual-tone development procedure; modifying the first threshold profile if the first threshold profile exceeds one or more of the first set of limits; and developing the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed at least one of the first set of limits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A semiconductor processing system for patterning a substrate, comprising:
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a lithography system configured to form a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; an exposure system configured to create a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, wherein the exposure system is coupled to the lithography system; wherein the lithography system is configured to heat the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high exposure regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium exposure regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low exposure regions having a third number of de-protected groups; and a computer system configured to determine a first threshold profile for a first positive tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using at least one of the first number of de-protected groups in the high exposure regions, the second number of de-protected groups in the medium exposure regions, and the third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions, and configured to determine a first set of limits for a first dual-tone development procedure, the computer system being coupled to the exposure system and the lithography system, wherein the lithography system is configured to modify the first threshold profile if the first threshold profile exceeds a first limit of the first set of limits, and is further configured to develop the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit of the first set of limits.
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17. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system coupled to a semiconductor processing system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the semiconductor processing system to perform a process, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high exposure regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium exposure regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low exposure regions having a third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first positive tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using at least one of the first number of de-protected groups in the high exposure regions, the second number of de-protected groups in the medium exposure regions, and the third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; determining a first set of limits for a first dual-tone development procedure; modifying the first threshold profile if the first threshold profile exceeds a first limit of the first set of limits; and developing the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit of the first set of limits.
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18. A method of patterning a substrate, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high exposure regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium exposure regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low exposure regions having a third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; creating a second patterned layer by developing the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using a first positive tone developing procedure; determining a negative threshold profile and a negative threshold limit for a negative tone development procedure for the second patterned layer; establishing a second energy level using the negative threshold profile and the negative threshold limit; creating a third patterned layer by exposing the second patterned layer to a second EM radiation at the second energy level; and creating a fourth patterned layer by developing the third patterned layer of using a first negative tone developing procedure.
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19. A method of patterning a substrate, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material thereby creating a plurality of high concentration regions having a first number of de-protected groups, a plurality of medium concentration regions having a second number of de-protected groups, and a plurality of low concentration regions having a third number of de-protected groups in the low exposure regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first positive tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using at least one of the first number of de-protected groups in the high concentration regions, the second number of de-protected groups in the medium concentration regions, and the third number of de-protected groups in the low concentration regions; determining a first set of limits for a first dual-tone development procedure; modifying the first threshold profile if the first threshold profile exceeds a first limit of the first set of limits; and developing the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit of the first set of limits. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification