# US 12,111,576 B2 · Extreme ultraviolet photolithography method with infiltration for enhanced sensitivity and etch resistance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,576 B2 - Document ID: US12111576B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/977,677 - Filed: 2022-10-31 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-30 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Christine Y Ouyang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111576B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/168: {Finishing the coated layer, e.g. drying, baking, soaking} - G03F 7/32: Liquid compositions therefor, e.g. developers - G03F 7/26: Processing photosensitive materials; Apparatus therefor (G03F7/12 - G03F7/24 take precedence) - G03F 7/38: Treatment before imagewise removal, e.g. prebaking {(G03F7/265 takes precedence)} - G03F 7/405: {Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a method for lithography patterning in accordance with some embodiments. The method includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate; performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer using an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation; performing an infiltration process to the photoresist layer using a metal-containing chemical; and performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned resist layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for lithography patterning, comprising: forming a photoresist layer over a substrate; thereafter, performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer; thereafter, performing a first infiltration process to introduce a first metallic compound to the photoresist layer; thereafter, performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer; and thereafter, performing a second infiltration process to the patterned photoresist layer to enhance etch resistance thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the first infiltration process to the photoresist layer includes maintaining the substrate at a processing temperature ranging between 80° C. to 100° C. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first infiltration process introduces alumina and the second infiltration process introduces aluminum nitride (AlN) into the photoresist layer for increased etch resistance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the second infiltration process to the patterned photoresist layer includes performing the second infiltration process to introduce a second metallic compound to the photoresist layer, wherein the second metallic compound is different from the first metallic compound in composition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first metallic compound includes an absorbing metallic compound. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first metallic compound includes one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), tin oxide, alumina, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the exposing process to the photoresist layer includes using an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the first infiltration process includes using a cyclic process having a plurality of cycles, wherein each of the plurality of cycles further includes applying an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer, contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen, and contacting the photoresist layer with an oxidant. ### Claim 9 A method for lithography patterning, comprising: forming a photoresist layer over a substrate; thereafter, performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer; thereafter, performing an infiltration process to introduce a metallic compound to the photoresist layer; and thereafter, performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the infiltration process is a first infiltration process and the metallic compound is a first metallic compound, and the method further comprises performing a second infiltration process before the performing of the exposing process, wherein the second infiltration process introduces a second metallic compound to the photoresist layer, and wherein the second metallic compound is different from the first metallic compound in composition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first metallic compound is absorptive to an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and the second metallic compound is transparent to the EUV radiation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first metallic compound includes one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), tin oxide, alumina, and a combination thereof; and the second metallic compound includes one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the performing of the infiltration process to the photoresist layer includes maintaining the substrate at a processing temperature ranging between 80° C. to 100° C. ### Claim 14 A method for lithography patterning, comprising: forming a photoresist layer over a substrate; thereafter, performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer; performing a first infiltration process to introduce a first metallic compound to the photoresist layer, wherein the first infiltration process uses a cyclic process that further includes applying an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer, contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen, and contacting the photoresist layer with an oxidant; and thereafter, performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the contacting of the photoresist layer with nitrogen is implemented between the applying of the organometallic precursor and the contacting of the photoresist layer with the oxidant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the applying of the organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer includes applying a precursor that includes trimethylaluminum (Al2(CH3)6), and the contacting of the photoresist layer with the oxidant includes contacting water to the photoresist layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising performing a second infiltration process to the patterned photoresist layer to enhance etch resistance thereof after the performing of the developing process to the photoresist layer to form the patterned photoresist layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first infiltration process introduces alumina and the second infiltration process introduces aluminum nitride (AlN) into the photoresist layer for increased etch resistance. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first infiltration process introduces one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), tin oxide, alumina, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, before the performing of the exposing process, further comprising performing a second infiltration process to introduce a second metallic compound into the photoresist layer to have a graded concentration of the second metallic compound with a highest concentration at a bottom surface to a lowest concentration at a top surface of the photoresist layer.