Composite structures to prevent pattern collapse
First Claim
1. A structure, comprising:
- a solid core comprising a first photoresist material, said core having a bottom surface on a substrate, a top surface and opposite first and second side surfaces between said top surface and said bottom surface;
a shell comprising a single layer of a second photoresist material, said shell on said top surface of said substrate, said shell containing a cavity open to said top surface of said substrate, said shell covering an entirety of said top surface and entireties of said first and second side surfaces walls of said core, said core completely filling said cavity; and
wherein a first Young'"'"'s modulus of said core is greater than a second Young'"'"'s modulus of said shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a structure. The structure includes: a solid core comprising a first photoresist material, the core having a bottom surface on a substrate, a top surface and opposite first and second side surfaces between the top surface and the bottom surface; and a shell comprising a second photoresist material, the shell on the top surface of the substrate, the shell containing a cavity open to the top surface of the substrate, the shell formed over the top surface and the first and second side surfaces walls of the core, the core completely filling the cavity. The core is stiffer than the shell. The method includes: forming the core from a first photoresist layer and forming the shell from a second photoresist layer applied over the core. The core may be cross-linked to increase its stiffness.
37 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A structure, comprising:
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a solid core comprising a first photoresist material, said core having a bottom surface on a substrate, a top surface and opposite first and second side surfaces between said top surface and said bottom surface; a shell comprising a single layer of a second photoresist material, said shell on said top surface of said substrate, said shell containing a cavity open to said top surface of said substrate, said shell covering an entirety of said top surface and entireties of said first and second side surfaces walls of said core, said core completely filling said cavity; and wherein a first Young'"'"'s modulus of said core is greater than a second Young'"'"'s modulus of said shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 23)
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8. A method, comprising, in the order recited:
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forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of a substrate, said first photoresist layer comprising a first photoresist material; exposing said first photoresist layer to a first ultraviolet radiation through a first photomask and developing said exposed first photoresist layer to form a solid core comprising said first photoresist material, said core having a bottom surface on said substrate, a top surface and opposite first and second side surfaces between said top surface and said bottom surface; forming a second photoresist layer on said top surface of a substrate and over said core, said second photoresist layer completely covering said top surface and opposite first and second side surfaces of said core, said second photoresist layer comprising a second photoresist material; exposing said second photoresist layer to a second ultraviolet radiation through a second photomask and developing said exposed second photoresist layer to form a shell comprising a single layer of said second photoresist material, said shell on an entirety of said top surface of said substrate and entireties of said first and second side surfaces, said shell containing a cavity open to said top surface of said substrate, said core completely filling said cavity; and wherein a first Young'"'"'s modulus of said core is greater than a second Young'"'"'s modulus of said shell. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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24. A structure, comprising:
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first and second solid cores, each core comprising a first photoresist material, each core having a respective bottom surface on a substrate, a respective top surface and respective opposite first and second side surfaces between said top surface and said bottom surface; a first shell comprising a single layer of a second photoresist material, said first shell on said top surface of said substrate, said first shell containing a first cavity open to said top surface of said substrate, said first shell covering an entirety of said top surface and entireties of said first and second side surfaces walls of said first core, said first core completely filling said first cavity; a second shell comprising a single layer of said second photoresist material, said second shell on said top surface of said substrate, said second shell containing a second cavity open to said top surface of said substrate, said second shell covering an entirety of said top surface and entireties of said second and second side surfaces walls of said second core, said second core completely filling said second cavity; a first feature comprised of said first core and said first shell and a second feature comprised of said second core and said second shell, said first and second features spaced apart; and wherein a Young'"'"'s modulus of said first and second cores has a high enough value to overcome a capillary force pulling said first and second features together when a liquid fills the space between said first and second features.
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Specification