Underlayer for photoresist adhesion and dose reduction

A patterning structure, comprising:

• a substrate comprising a partially fabricated semiconductor device film stack;
• a radiation-sensitive imaging layer disposed over the substrate;
• and
• an underlayer disposed between the substrate and the imaging layer,
• wherein the underlayer comprises a vapor deposited film of hydronated carbon doped with oxygen (O), silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), tungsten (W), boron (B), iodine (I), chlorine (Cl), or a combination of two or more of any of these, and
• wherein the film has a thickness of no more than about 25 nm or a thickness of about 2 to 20 nm.

A method of making a patterning structure, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• depositing an underlayer on the substrate, wherein the underlayer is configured to increase adhesion between the substrate and the photoresist and/or reduce radiation dose for effective photoresist exposure;
• and
• forming a radiation-sensitive imaging layer on the underlayer, wherein
• the substrate is a partially fabricated semiconductor device film stack;
• the substrate further comprises or is a hardmask, amorphous carbon film, amorphous hydrogenated carbon film, silicon oxide film, silicon nitride film, silicon oxynitride film, silicon carbide film, silicon boronitride film, amorphous silicon film, polysilicon film, or a combination thereof;
• the imaging layer comprises a tin oxide-based photoresist or a tin oxide hydroxide-based photoresist;
• and
• the underlayer comprises a vapor deposited film of hydronated carbon doped with oxygen (O), silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), tungsten (W), boron (B), iodine (I), chlorine (Cl), or a combination of two or more of any of these, wherein the film has a thickness of no more than 25 nm.