Method of creating a graded anti-reflective coating
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorMark H. Somervell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of creating a graded anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer on a thin film is described. The method includes forming the thin film on a substrate, forming an ARC layer on the thin film, and applying a solvent to the ARC layer causing it to swell. A photo-resist layer is formed on the swollen ARC layer. A mixing layer is formed by the diffusion of components from the swollen ARC layer to the photo-resist layer and vice versa. The mixing layer has optical qualities that are distinct from those of either of the ARC layer or the photo-resist layer. The mixing layer forms the graded ARC layer.
Claims19
A method of making a graded anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer in a thin film lithographic structure, comprising:
- depositing an anti-reflective material over a thin film to form an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer;
- treating the ARC layer with a solvent for a time sufficient to swell at least a portion of the ARC layer and alter diffusion properties of the anti-reflective material to a desired degree;
- coating a photo-resist material over the swollen portion of the ARC layer to form a photo-resist layer;
- and
- intermixing an interface portion of the photo-resist material and the swollen portion of the ARC layer by diffusion to form a mixing layer underlying the photo-resist layer that comprises the anti-reflective material and the photo-resist material.
A method of making a graded anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer in a thin film lithographic structure, comprising:
- depositing an anti-reflective material over a thin film to form an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer comprising a bulk ARC portion and an interface ARC portion;
- treating the ARC layer with a solvent for a time sufficient to swell the interface ARC portion and increase diffusion properties of the anti-reflective material in the interface ARC portion;
- coating a photo-resist material over the swollen interface ARC portion to form a photo-resist layer having an interface photo-resist portion and a bulk photo-resist portion;
- and
- baking the photo-resist layer to harden the bulk photo-resist portion and to intermix the interface photo-resist portion with the swollen interface ARC portion to form a mixing layer comprising the anti-reflective material and the photo-resist material between the bulk ARC portion and the hardened bulk photo-resist portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.