Methods of forming patterns on substrates

• US 8,563,228 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Sills, Scott, Sandhu, Gurtej S.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAYMOND, BRITTANY L
• Application Number:
  US13/483,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20120237880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 430/322, 430/323, 430/311
• US Class Current: 430/322
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0035 Multiple processes, e.g. applying a further resist layer on an already in a previously step, processed pattern or textured surface

Abstract

A method of forming a pattern on a substrate includes forming spaced first features over a substrate. The spaced first features have opposing lateral sidewalls. Material is formed onto the opposing lateral sidewalls of the spaced first features. That portion of such material which is received against each of the opposing lateral sidewalls is of different composition from composition of each of the opposing lateral sidewalls. At least one of such portion of the material and the spaced first features is densified to move the at least one laterally away from the other of the at least one to form a void space between each of the opposing lateral sidewalls and such portion of the material.

Claims

1. A method of forming a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

forming spaced first features over a substrate, the spaced first features comprising opposing lateral sidewalls;

forming material onto the opposing lateral sidewalls of the spaced first features, that portion of the material received against at least one of the opposing lateral sidewalls being of different composition from composition of the at least one opposing lateral sidewall; and

densifying at least one of said portion of the material and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall of the spaced first features to move the at least one of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall laterally away from the other of the at least one of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall to form a void space between the at least one opposing lateral sidewall and said portion of the material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying and the move are of only the one of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the densifying and the move are of the at least one opposing lateral sidewall of the spaced first features.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the densifying and the move are of said portion of the material.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the other of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall expands to reduce its density and move toward the one of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying and the move are of both the one of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall and the other of said portion and the at least one opposing lateral sidewall.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the features and the material comprises photoresist.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein both of the feature and the material comprise photoresist.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein neither of the feature or the material comprises photoresist.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying and the move are of only the one.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the other expands to reduce its density and move toward the one.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying and the move are of both the one and the other.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying comprises heating.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the densifying comprises actinically irradiating.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the void space upon initial formation is sealed elevationally outward by the material in cross section.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising removing some of the material to open the void space elevationally outward after its initial formation.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the void space upon initial formation is open elevationally outward in cross section.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the material is received over an elevationally outermost surface of the feature during said densifying.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein none of the material is received over an elevationally outermost surface of the feature during said densifying.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein no material is received over an elevationally outermost surface of the feature during said densifying.

21. A method of forming a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

forming a feature over a substrate, the feature comprising at least one wall;

forming material onto the wall of the feature, that portion of the material received against the wall being of different composition from composition of the wall; and

densifying at least one of said portion of the material and the feature to move the at least one laterally away from the other of the at least one to form a void space between the wall and said portion of the material.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the densifying is by removing of solvent.

23. The method of claim 21 comprising treating the wall before forming the material.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the material is formed by solvent casting, and the treating comprises rendering the wall insolvent in the solvent from which the material is solvent cast.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the treating is by at least one of thermal cross-linking, photo cross-linking, thermal generation of acid followed by photo-induced acid catalyzed polymerization, and formation of a protective encapsulation layer over the spaced first features.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the treating is by formation of a protective encapsulation layer over the spaced first features, the formation comprising forming an insoluble chemical coating or a thin insoluble coating by atomic layer deposition.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the coating is an oxide.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the densifying is by thermolytic cleavage or acid hydrolysis.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the densifying is by transformation of polytert-butyl acrylate to polyacrylic acid.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein the composition of at least one of the wall and portion of the material is of a thermally curable epoxy resin.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the resin comprises a vinyl ester, an unsaturated polyester, or a mixture of at least one vinyl ester and at least one unsaturated polyester.

32. The method of claim 21 wherein the densifying is by photo-polymerization of acrylate or epoxy monomers or prepolymers in the presence of photo-activated radicals or cationic initiators.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the densifying is of a thermo-responsive polymer gel.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the gel is a hydrogel.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the hydrogel comprises poly N-isopropylacrylamide.

36. The method of claim 21 wherein the densifying is of shrink-wrap material.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the shrink-wrap material comprises at least one of a polyvinylchloride, a polyolefin, a segmented block copolymer, and an elastomer-plastic blend.

38. The method of claim 21 wherein the densifying is of a conjugated polymer.