Dual tone development processes
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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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
27 Claims
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1. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. 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 dual-tone (D-T) resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; forming a protection layer on the layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the protection layer includes at least one activation component; creating a first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material through the protection layer using first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer to create a plurality of high intensity regions, a plurality of medium intensity regions, and a plurality of low intensity regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high intensity regions; establishing a first limit using a first simulated threshold profile for the first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high intensity regions; activating the protection layer to create a modified patterned layer having a modified threshold profile, if the first threshold profile exceeds the first limit, wherein the modified patterned layer includes modified (D-T) resist material; and developing the first patterned layer, if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A method of patterning a substrate, comprising:
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forming an interface layer on the substrate, wherein the interface layer includes at least one activation component; forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the interface layer on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a dual-tone (D-T) resist material having a polymer backbone and a plurality of protecting groups; creating a first patterned layer by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using the interface layer, first EM radiation, and heating the first patterned layer to create a plurality of high intensity regions, a plurality of medium intensity regions, and a plurality of low intensity regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high intensity regions; establishing a first limit using a first simulated threshold profile for the first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high intensity regions; activating the interface layer to create a modified patterned layer having a modified threshold profile, if the first threshold profile exceeds the first limit, wherein the modified patterned layer includes modified (D-T) resist material; and developing the first patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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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 acid components and a plurality of radiation-sensitive base components 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 first reticle, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material to create a plurality of high concentration regions, a plurality of medium concentration regions, and a plurality of low concentration regions; determining a first threshold profile for a first dual-tone development procedure using at least one of the high concentration regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material; establishing a first simulated dual-tone profile for a first positive tone development procedure in the first dual-tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material; determining a first limit for the first positive tone development procedure in a dual-tone development procedure for the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material using the first simulated dual-tone profile; performing additional procedures in the (D-T) processing sequence, if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit; and performing at least one corrective action, if the first threshold profile exceeds the first limit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of patterning a substrate, using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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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 protecting groups attached to a polymer backbone; creating a first patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material by exposing the layer of radiation-sensitive material using first EM radiation and a first reticle having a first set of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer to create 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, a plurality of low concentration regions having a third number of de-protected groups; determining a first threshold profile for a first dual-tone (D-T) development procedure for the first patterned layer using at least one of the high concentration regions and at least one of the low concentration regions; establishing a first limit using a first simulated threshold profile for the first (D-T) development procedure using at least one of the high concentration regions and at least one of the low concentration regions; performing at least one rinsing procedure to de-protect at least one protecting group in the (D-T) resist material in the first patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material and to create a modified patterned layer having a modified threshold profile, if the first threshold profile exceeds the first limit; and developing the first patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material using a first chemistry, if the first threshold profile does not exceed the first limit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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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 acid components and a plurality of radiation-sensitive base components 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 first 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 concentration regions, a plurality of medium concentration regions, and a plurality of low concentration regions; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) development procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to remove at least one of the high concentration regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) metrology procedure in the D-T processing sequence to obtain first measurement data for at least one of the removed high concentration regions using at least one dual-tone (D-T) metrology target;
establishing measurement data limits for the first dual-tone (D-T) metrology procedure using profile data for at least one removed high concentration region and data for the at least one dual-tone (D-T) metrology target;performing additional procedures in the dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, if measurement data does not exceed at least one measurement data limit; and performing at least one corrective action, if the measurement data exceeds one or more of measurement data limits. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a dual-tone resist material having a plurality of radiation-sensitive acid components and a plurality of radiation-sensitive base components 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 first 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 concentration regions, a plurality of medium concentration regions, and a plurality of low concentration regions; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) development procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to remove at least one of the high concentration regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) process window verification procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to obtain first process window data using at least one removed high concentration region; establishing process window verification limits for the first dual-tone (D-T) metrology procedure using historical profile data one or more of the removed high concentration regions and simulated data for the first dual-tone (D-T) development procedure; verifying the first process window data and performing additional procedures in the dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, if the first process window data does not exceed at least one of the process window verification limits; and performing at least one corrective action, if the first process window data exceeds at least one of the process window verification limits. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, comprising:
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forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a dual-tone 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; establishing an optimization model for the dual-tone resist material including at least one of a first de-protection model for positive tone groups, a second de-protection model for negative tone groups, and a third de-protection model for the 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 first reticle having a first set of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material to create a plurality of positive tone regions, a plurality of mixed regions, and a plurality of negative tone regions; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) development procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to remove at least one of the positive tone regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material; performing a first dual-tone (D-T) metrology procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to obtain measured profile data using at least one removed positive tone regions and data for at least one dual-tone (D-T) metrology target; establishing optimization data limits for the first (D-T) development procedure using the optimization model for the dual-tone resist material and data for the at least one (D-T) metrology target; modifying the optimization model for the dual-tone resist material, if the measured profile data exceeds one or more of the optimization data limits; and performing a second dual-tone (D-T) development procedure in the (D-T) processing sequence to remove at least one of the negative tone regions in the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material, if measured profile data does not exceed at least one of the optimization data limits. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, 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 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 first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material to create 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; 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 the first positive 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 (23, 24)
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25. A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone (D-T) processing sequence, 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 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 first EM radiation and a reticle having a plurality of masking features, and heating the first patterned layer of exposed radiation-sensitive material to create 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; 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 the first positive 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 (26, 27)
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Specification