Solventless, resistless direct dielectric patterning

• US 6,509,138 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Semiconductor Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Semiconductor Research Corporation
• Inventors: Gleason, Karen K., Ober, Christopher, Herr, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US09/482,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20020012884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 257/426, 430/297, 430/313, 430/296, 430/311, 430/317, 430/322, 430/331, 216/41, 216/52, 216/62
• US Class Current: 430/313
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/167 from the gas phase, by plasma deposition G03F7/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/32 Liquid compositions therefor, e.g. developers
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/36 Imagewise removal not covered by groups G03F7/30 - G03F7/34, e.g. using gas streams, using plasma

Abstract

Processes for patterning radiation sensitive layers are disclosed. In one embodiment, the process includes depositing a radiation sensitive material on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition. The radiation sensitive material is exposed to radiation to form a pattern and the pattern is developed using a supercritical fluid (SCF).

Claims

1. A patterning method comprising:

(a) depositing a radiation sensitive material comprising a fluoropolymer on a substrate using chemical vapor deposition;

(b) selectively exposing the radiation sensitive material to radiation to form a pattern; and

(c) developing the pattern using a supercritical fluid (SCF) as a developer to form a developed pattern, wherein the developed pattern has a dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, and wherein the developed pattern is a patterned dielectric layer that is directly patterned without using a photoresist.

2. The patterning method of claim 1 wherein the supercritical fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide.

3. The patterning method of claim 1 wherein the developed pattern has an aspect ratio of about 4:

1 or more.

4. The patterning method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

(d) forming a conductive feature within the patterned dielectric layer.

5. A patterning method comprising:

(a) depositing a radiation sensitive material on a substrate using a vapor deposition process;

(b) selectively exposing the radiation sensitive material to radiation to form pattern; and

(c) developing the pattern using a supercritical fluid (SCF) as a developer to form a developed pattern, wherein the developed pattern is a patterned dielectric layer that is directly patterned without using a photoresist.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation sensitive material comprises a photoacid generator.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the vapor deposition process comprises a chemical vapor deposition process.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the patterned dielectric layer has a dielectric constant of less than about 3.0.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the patterned dielectric layer has a dielectric constant that ranges from about 1.9 to about 2.7.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation sensitive material includes one selected from the group consisting of a fluorocarbon and an organosilicon compound.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation sensitive material comprises poly(CF₂).

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the poly(CF₂) is made by polymerization of difluorocarbene (:

CF₂).

13. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation sensitive material comprises an organosilicon compound selected from the group consisting of organosilanes and organosiloxanes.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation used to form the pattern is selected from the group consisting of deep ultraviolet radiation (DUV), extreme ultraviolet radiation ultraviolet radiation (UV), x-rays and an ion beam.

15. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation used to form the pattern is electron beam radiation.

16. The method of claim 5 wherein the radiation has a wavelength from about 120 to about 450 nm.

18. The method of claim 5 wherein the supercritical fluid (SCF) is a mixture of carbon dioxide and at least one member selected from the group consisting of propane, butane, 2,3-dimethylbutane, pentane, toluene, n-hexane, cyclohexane, acetonitrile, methanol, and ethanol.

19. The method of claim 5 wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate.

20. The method of claim 5 wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

21. The method of claim 5 wherein the substrate comprises an epoxy material, a ceramic material, a magnetic disc, or a printed circuit board.

22. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

(d) forming a conductive feature within the patterned dielectric layer.

23. The method of claim 5 wherein the developed pattern has an aspect ratio of greater than about 4:

1, and wherein the method further comprises;

(d) forming a conductive feature within the dielectric pattern.

17. The method of clam 5 wherein the supercritical fluid (SCF) is supercritical carbon dioxide.