Method for forming patterned photoresist
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChun-Chih Ho, Ching-Yu Chang, Chin-Hsiang Lin
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Abstract
A method of forming a patterned photoresist layer includes the following operations: (i) forming a patterned photoresist on a substrate; (ii) forming a molding layer covering the patterned photoresist; (iii) reflowing the patterned photoresist in the molding layer; and (iv) removing the molding layer from the reflowed patterned photoresist. In some embodiments, the molding layer has a glass transition temperature that is greater than or equal to the glass transition temperature of the patterned photoresist. In yet some embodiments, the molding layer has a glass transition temperature that is 3° C.-30° C. less than the glass transition temperature of the patterned photoresist.
Claims20
A lithography method, comprising:
- spin coating a photoresist composition over a substrate to form a photoresist layer;
- exposing the photoresist layer;
- developing the photoresist layer;
- after developing the photoresist layer, forming a polymer layer surrounding the photoresist layer, wherein the polymer layer is made of a repeating unit including at least one of a hydroxyl functionality, a carboxylate functionality, a carboxylic acid functionality, an amine functionality, and an amide functionality, the photoresist layer comprises acid-labile groups on a surface of the photoresist layer;
- heating the polymer layer and the photoresist layer to reflow the photoresist layer in the polymer layer, wherein heating the polymer layer and the photoresist layer is performed such that the polymer layer produce protons, and the protons react with the acid-labile groups of the surface of the photoresist layer to transfer the acid-labile groups into hydrophilic groups remaining on the surface of the photoresist layer;
- removing the polymer layer to expose the photoresist layer;
- and
- after removing the polymer layer, etching the substrate using the photoresist layer as an etch mask.
A lithography method, comprising:
- spin coating a photoresist composition over a substrate to form a photoresist layer;
- exposing the photoresist layer;
- developing the photoresist layer;
- after developing the photoresist layer, forming a molding layer surrounding the photoresist layer, the photoresist layer comprising acid-labile groups on a surface of the photoresist layer, wherein the molding layer comprises:
- a polymer including acidic groups;
- and
- an organic base material dispersed in the polymer, wherein the organic base material is attached to the acidic groups of the polymer;
- heating the molding layer and the photoresist layer to reflow the photoresist layer in the molding layer, wherein heating the molding layer is performed such that the molding layer produce protons, and the protons react with the acid-labile groups of the surface of the photoresist layer to transfer the acid-labile groups into hydrophilic groups remaining on the surface of the photoresist layer;
- applying a solvent to dissolve the molding layer;
- and
- after removing the molding layer, etching the substrate using the photoresist layer as an etch mask.
A lithography method, comprising:
- coating a photoresist composition over a substrate to form a photoresist layer;
- exposing the photoresist layer;
- developing the photoresist layer, the photoresist layer comprises acid-labile groups on a surface of the photoresist layer;
- coating a polymer solution onto the photoresist layer, wherein the polymer solution comprises:
- a solvent;
- and
- a polymer dissolved in the solvent;
- carrying out a dry process to remove the solvent to form a polymer layer on the photoresist layer;
- heating the polymer layer and the photoresist layer to reflow the photoresist layer in the polymer layer, wherein heating the polymer layer and the photoresist layer is performed such that the polymer layer produce protons, and the protons react with the acid-labile groups of the surface of the photoresist layer to transfer the acid-labile groups into hydrophilic groups remaining on the surface of the photoresist layer;
- removing the polymer layer;
- and
- after removing the polymer layer, etching the substrate using the photoresist layer as an etch mask.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.