Process for forming sub-micrometer patterns using silylation of resist side walls
First Claim
1. A low temperature process for forming sidewalls on a substrate for use in the fabrication of structures with sub-micron lateral dimensions comprising the steps of:
- depositing on said substrate a layer of polymeric resist comprising active hydrogen;
patterning said resist thereby forming a profile having horizontal surfaces and substantially vertical edges;
treating the maskless resist with a reactive organometallic silylation solution comprising Xylene, HMCTS and n-Methylpyrrolidone, respectively amounting to 89, 10 and 1 volume %, at a temperature of between 15° and
25°
C., thereby silylating the exposed horizontal and vertical edges in said resist to a predetermined depth; and
anisotropic oxygen plasma etching said resist thereby removing the silylated resist at said horizontal surfaces and removing the unsilylated resist, leaving the silylated vertical edges.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for forming sidewalls for use in the fabrication of semiconductor structures, where the thin, vertical sidewalls are "image transferred" to define sub-micron lateral dimensions.
First, a patterned resist profile with substantially vertical edges is formed on a substrate on which the sidewalls are to be created. Then, the profile is soaked in a reactive organometallic silylation agent to silylate the top and the vertical edges of the resist to a predetermined depth, thereby rendering the profile surfaces highly oxygen etch resistant. In a subsequent anisotropic RIE process, the horizontal surfaces of the silylated profile and the unsilylated resist are removed, leaving the silylated vertical edges, that provide the desired free-standing sidewalls, essentially unaffected.
119 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A low temperature process for forming sidewalls on a substrate for use in the fabrication of structures with sub-micron lateral dimensions comprising the steps of:
-
depositing on said substrate a layer of polymeric resist comprising active hydrogen; patterning said resist thereby forming a profile having horizontal surfaces and substantially vertical edges; treating the maskless resist with a reactive organometallic silylation solution comprising Xylene, HMCTS and n-Methylpyrrolidone, respectively amounting to 89, 10 and 1 volume %, at a temperature of between 15° and
25°
C., thereby silylating the exposed horizontal and vertical edges in said resist to a predetermined depth; andanisotropic oxygen plasma etching said resist thereby removing the silylated resist at said horizontal surfaces and removing the unsilylated resist, leaving the silylated vertical edges.
-
-
2. Low temperature process for fabricating a line pattern of sub-micron dimensions on a semiconductor body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
-
depositing a film of the material from which the line pattern is to be formed on the semiconductor body; depositing, on said film, a layer of polymeric resist comprising active hydrogen; patterning said resist thereby forming a profile having horizontal surfaces and substantially vertical edges; silylating the maskless resist by treating said resist with a reactive organometallic silylation solution comprising Xylene, HMCTS and n-Methylpyrrolidone, respectively amounting to 89, 10 and 1 volume %, at a temperature of between 15° and
25°
C., thereby replacing the active hydrogens with silicon atoms in the horizontal surfaces and the substantially vertical edges of the resist to a predetermined depth;dry etching said resist thereby removing the silylated resist at said horizontal surfaces and, removing the unsilylated resist, leaving the silylated, substantially vertical edges, on said film; anisotropically etching said film not covered by said substantially vertical edges of silylated resist; and removing said silylated resist. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A low temperature process for forming sidewalls on a substrate for use in the fabrication of structures having sub-micron lateral dimensions comprising the steps of:
-
depositing on said substrate a layer of polymeric material comprising active hydrogen; patterning said polymeric material, said pattern having horizontal surfaces and substantially vertical surfaces; forming a sub-micron structure in said horizontal and substantially vertical surfaces of said polymeric material by silylating said material by treating said material with a solution comprising Xylene, HMCTS and n-methylpyrrolidone, respectively amounting to 89, 10 and 1 volume %, at a temperature of between 15° and
25°
C., to a predetermined depth; andetching said polymeric material thereby removing said sub-micron structure in said horizontal surfaces and said polymeric material and whereby said submicron structure formed in said substantially vertical surfaces remains. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification