Pattern forming method and device production method

• US 8,435,723 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi, Hirukawa, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US12/585,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100068660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 430/311, 430/322, 430/313, 430/314, 430/323, 430/324
• US Class Current: 430/313
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/095 having more than one photosensitive layer G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/265 Selective reaction with inorganic or organometallic reagents after image-wise exposure, e.g. silylation
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/405 Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0274 Photolithographic processes

Abstract

A pattern forming method includes coating, on a wafer, a negative resist and a positive resist which has a higher sensitivity; exposing the positive resist and the negative resist on the wafer with an image of a line-and-space pattern; and developing the positive resist and the negative resist in a direction parallel to a normal line of a surface of the wafer. A fine pattern, which exceeds the resolution limit of an exposure apparatus, can be formed by using the lithography process without performing the overlay exposure.

Claims

1. A pattern forming method for forming a pattern on an object, the method comprising:

forming, on the object, first and second photosensitive layers having different photosensitive characteristics;

exposing the first and second photosensitive layers via a pattern;

performing a first development for developing the second photosensitive layer;

converting a surface of an exposed portion or of an unexposed portion of the first photosensitive layer to be hardly soluble; and

performing a second development for developing the first and second photosensitive layers.

2. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the conversion of the surface to be hardly soluble includes introducing a gas containing silicon into a surface of the first photosensitive layer and heating the object.

3. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the second development is performed by removing the first and second photosensitive layers in a predetermined direction.

4. The pattern forming method according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to a surface of the object.

5. The pattern forming method according to claim 3, wherein the first development is performed by removing the second photosensitive layer in a predetermined direction.

6. The pattern forming method according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to a surface of the object.

7. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the first photosensitive layer is of a negative type and the second photosensitive layer is of a positive type.

8. The pattern forming method according to claim 7, wherein a sensitivity of the first photosensitive layer is lower than a sensitivity of the second photosensitive layer.

9. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein the first photosensitive layer is of a positive type and the second photosensitive layer is of a negative type.

10. The pattern forming method according to claim 9, wherein a sensitivity of the first photosensitive layer is higher than a sensitivity of the second photosensitive layer.

11. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein sensitivities of the first and second photosensitive layers are different from each other.

12. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, further comprising forming an intermediate layer, which has a predetermined transmittance with respect to an exposure light, between the first and second photosensitive layers.

13. The pattern forming method according to claim 12, wherein a part of the intermediate layer is removed in the development.

14. The pattern forming method according to claim 12, wherein the first photosensitive layer is of a negative type and the second photosensitive layer is of a positive type.

15. The pattern forming method according to claim 1, wherein a period of the photosensitive layer on the object after the development is about ½

of a period of a light intensity distribution provided by an exposure light on the object via the pattern.

36. A method for producing a device, comprising:

forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on a substrate by using the pattern forming method as defined in claim 1; and

processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed.

16. A pattern forming method for forming a pattern on an object, the method comprising:

forming a first photosensitive layer, an intermediate layer, and a second photosensitive layer on the object;

exposing the first photosensitive layer, the intermediate layer, and the second photosensitive layer via a pattern;

performing a first development for developing the second photosensitive layer;

converting a surface of an exposed portion or of an unexposed portion of the first photosensitive layer to be hardly soluble; and

performing a second development for developing the first and second photosensitive layers.

17. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the first and/or second development includes removing the intermediate layer.

18. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the conversion of the surface to be hardly soluble includes introducing a gas containing silicon into a surface of the first photosensitive layer and heating the object.

19. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the second development is performed by removing the first and second photosensitive layers in a predetermined direction.

20. The pattern forming method according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to a surface of the object.

21. The pattern forming method according to claim 19, wherein the first development is performed by removing the second photosensitive layer in a predetermined direction.

22. The pattern forming method according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to a surface of the object.

23. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the first development includes removing at least a part of the intermediate layer.

24. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein the intermediate layer has a predetermined transmittance with respect to an exposure light;

and

the first photosensitive layer is of a negative type and the second photosensitive layer is of a positive type.

25. The pattern forming method according to claim 16, wherein a period of the photosensitive layer on the object after the development is about ½

of a period of a light intensity distribution provided by an exposure light on the object via the pattern.

37. A method for producing a device, comprising:

forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on a substrate by using the pattern forming method as defined in claim 16; and

processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed.

26. A pattern forming method comprising:

forming a photosensitive lower layer on a substrate;

forming a photosensitive upper layer on the lower layer;

irradiating a light onto the upper layer formed on the lower layer via a predetermined pattern to simultaneously expose the upper layer and the lower layer with the light;

developing the exposed upper layer such that a first area corresponding to the predetermined pattern remains in the upper layer;

converting a surface of an exposed portion or of an unexposed portion of the lower layer to be hardly soluble;

developing the exposed lower layer and the first area of the upper layer such that a second area corresponding to the predetermined pattern and a masked area positioned under the first area of the upper layer remain in the lower layer; and

developing the substrate by using the second area and the masked area of the lower layer as masks to thereby form, on the substrate, a pattern corresponding to the second area and the masked area.

27. The pattern forming method according to claim 26, wherein the lower layer is a negative resist and the upper layer is a positive resist.

28. The pattern forming method according to claim 27, wherein the lower layer is developed by using the first area of the upper layer as a mask by anisotropic dry etching.

29. The pattern forming method according to claim 28, wherein the second area is silylated before the anisotropic dry etching.

30. The pattern forming method according to claim 29, wherein portions, of the lower layer, which are different from the silylated second area and the masked area of the lower layer are removed by the anisotropic dry etching.

31. The pattern forming method according to claim 30, wherein the first area of the upper layer is removed by the anisotropic dry etching.

32. The pattern forming method according to claim 26, further comprising forming a light shielding layer between the lower layer and the upper layer.

33. The pattern forming method according to claim 32, wherein the light shielding layer is removed when the upper layer is developed.

34. The pattern forming method according to claim 26, wherein the predetermined pattern includes a repeating pattern having a period 2P, the first area and the second area have different widths, and a sum of the widths of the first area and the second area is 2P.

35. The pattern forming method according to claim 26, wherein the predetermined pattern is a pattern having a period of about ½

of a resolution limit of an exposure apparatus for executing pattern formation.

38. A method for producing a device, comprising:

forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on a substrate by using the pattern forming method as defined in claim 26; and

processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed.