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Dual Tone Development Processes

  • US 20100119960A1
  • Filed: 09/16/2009
  • Published: 05/13/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:

  • forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a dual-tone (D-T) resist material having a plurality of radiation-sensitive positive tone groups and a plurality of radiation-sensitive negative tone groups attached to a polymer backbone;

    creating 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 first set of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material to create a plurality of high exposure regions, a plurality of medium exposure regions, and a plurality of low exposure regions;

    determining a first threshold profile for a first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high exposure regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material;

    determining a first set of simulated limits for the first dual-tone development procedure for the first patterned layer;

    modifying the first threshold profile, if the first threshold profile exceeds at least one of the first set of simulated 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 simulated limits.

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