Vapor phase thermal etch solutions for metal oxo photoresists

A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

• providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions;
• vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with either the unexposed regions or the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal oxy halide with a formula of MOaXb or MOaXbLc, wherein M is a metal or semimetal including one or more of Mo, W, Ta, Nb, Sn, V, Ti, or Si, wherein X is a halide including one or more of Cl and Br, and wherein L is a ligand including one or more of an alkyl, an ethylenediamine, or Cp;
• and
• purging the vacuum chamber.

A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

• providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber;
• vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the metal oxo photoresist to produce a volatile byproduct;
• and
• purging the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal halide or a metal oxy halide, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal oxy halide with a formula of MOaXb or MOaXbLc, wherein M is a metal or semimetal including one or more of Mo, W, Ta, Nb, Sn, V, Ti, or Si, wherein X is a halide including one or more of Cl and Br, and wherein L is a ligand including one or more of an alkyl, an ethylenediamine, or Cp.

A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

• providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber;
• vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the metal oxo photoresist to produce a non-volatile product;
• vaporizing a ligand into the vacuum chamber, wherein the ligand reacts with the non-volatile product to produce a volatile byproduct;
• and
• purging the vacuum chamber.