# US 11,443,947 B2 · Method for forming etching mask and method for manufacturing semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,947 B2 - Document ID: US11443947B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/805,103 - Filed: 2020-02-28 - Published: 2021-03-18 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-13 - Assignees: Kioxia Corporation - Applicants: Kioxia Corporation - Inventors: Hironobu Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443947B2 ## CPC - H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks} - H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials} - H10P 76/4088: {Processes for improving the resolution of the masks} - H10B 43/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels - H10P 76/405: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract A method for forming an etching mask includes forming a mask layer containing an organic material on a layer to be patterned using the etching mask in a subsequent etching process, processing the mask layer to form a pattern including an opening, forming a filling layer in the opening, impregnating the mask layer with a metal material, and removing the filling layer. The organic material in the mask layer includes reaction sites that react with the metal material, and the filling layer has fewer the reaction sites per the unit volume than the mask layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming an etching mask, the method comprising: forming a mask layer containing an organic material on a layer to be patterned by a subsequent etching; processing the mask layer to form a pattern including an opening; forming a filling layer in the opening; impregnating the mask layer with a metal material in a state in which the filling layer is in the opening; and removing the filling layer, wherein the organic material includes reaction sites that react with the metal material, and the filling layer has fewer reaction sites per unit volume than the mask layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the organic material comprises a polymer with a carbonyl group. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the filling layer comprises at least one of silicon oxide and polysilazane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: exposing the mask layer to a plasma including oxygen before forming the filling layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: annealing the mask layer after impregnating the mask layer with the metal material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forming an etching mask on a substrate, the etching mask being formed according to the method of claim 1; and etching the substrate using the etching mask. ### Claim 7 A method for forming an etching mask, the method comprising: forming a first mask layer containing a first organic material on a layer to be patterned by a subsequent etching; forming an intermediate film on the first mask layer; forming a second mask layer containing a second organic material on the intermediate film; processing the second mask layer to form a pattern including an opening; forming a filling layer in the opening; impregnating the second mask layer with a metal material in a state in which the filling layer is in the opening; removing the filling layer; etching the intermediate film and the first mask layer by using the second mask layer; and removing the intermediate film and the second mask layer, wherein the second organic material in the second mask layer includes reaction sites that react with the metal material, and the reaction sites per unit volume of the filling layer is less the reaction sites per the unit volume of the second mask layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the second organic material comprises a polymer with a carbonyl group. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the second organic material is a photoresist. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the filling layer comprises at least one of silicon oxide and polysilazane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising: exposing the second mask layer to a plasma including oxygen before forming the filling layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising: annealing the second mask layer after impregnating the second mask layer with the metal material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forming an etching mask on a substrate, the etching mask being formed according to the method of claim 7; and etching the substrate using the etching mask. ### Claim 14 A method for forming an etching mask, the method comprising: forming a mask layer by alternately stacking one or more first organic layers and one or more second organic layers on a layer to be patterned in a subsequent etching; processing the mask layer to form a pattern including an opening penetrating the one or more first organic layers and the one or more second organic layers of the mask layer; and impregnating the mask layer with a metal material, wherein the second organic layer includes reaction sites that react with the metal material, and a number of the reaction sites per unit volume in the first organic layer is less than a number of the reaction sites per the unit volume in the second organic layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising: forming a filling layer in the opening before impregnating the mask layer with the metal material; and removing the filling layer after impregnating the mask layer with the metal material, wherein a number of the reaction sites per unit volume in the filling layer is less than the number of the reaction sites per the unit volume in the first organic layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising: exposing the mask layer to a plasma including oxygen before forming the filling layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the filling layer contains at least one of silicon oxide and polysilazane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising: annealing the mask layer after impregnating the mask layer with the metal material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein each of the first organic layer and the second organic layer is a thin film. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: forming an etching mask on a substrate, the etching mask being formed according to the method of claim 14; and etching the substrate using the etching mask.