US 6,121,158 A · Method for hardening a photoresist material formed on a substrate

Abstract

A method for hardening a photoresist material formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of coating a surface of a substrate of a wafer with a layer of photoresist material. Next, the layer of photoresist material disposed on the surface of the substrate of the wafer is masked, exposed, and developed to provide a patterned photoresist material. The patterned developed photoresist material layer is then inspected for critical dimensions, linewidths, and other dimensional characteristics. After the inspection, UV radiation is used to cure the patterned developed photoresist material layer to provide a hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer which is disposed on the surface of the substrate of the wafer. Next, the hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer is implanted from a first implant direction with an inert species material such as argon. Following the implantation step, the first implant direction is incremented 90 degrees to a second implant direction. The hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer is then implanted from the second implant direction with an identical dose of argon. Then, the second implant direction is incremented by another 90 degrees. Two addition implants are performed each from a different implant direction such that the hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer is implanted with equivalent doses of argon from four implant directions each angularly spaced apart by 90 degrees. After implantation, unmasked portions of the substrate of the wafer are etched. Next, the hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer is stripped from the surface of the substrate.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method for making a hardened photoresist material layer on a surface of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:

coating said surface of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer with a layer of photoresist material;
masking, exposing, and developing said photoresist material layer to form a patterned developed photoresist material layer;
curing said patterned developed photoresist material layer to form a hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer;
implanting said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer from a plurality of different implant directions with a dose of implant species to evenly distribute said implant species into said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer;
and
etching unmasked portions of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer.

3 more elements

A method for making a hardened photoresist material layer on a surface of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:

coating said surface of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer with a layer of photoresist material;
masking, exposing, developing said photoresist material layer to form a patterned developed photoresist material layer;
curing said patterned developed photoresist material layer to form a hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer;
implanting, from a first implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with a predetermined dose of particles of an implant species;
incrementing said first implant direction by a first predetermined amount to a second implant direction;
implanting, from said second implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said predetermined dose of particles of said implant species;
incrementing said second implant direction by a second predetermined amount to a third implant direction;
implanting, from said third implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said predetermined dose of particles of said implant species;
incrementing said third implant direction by a third predetermined amount to a fourth implant direction;
implanting, from said fourth implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said predetermined dose of particles of said implant species;
and
etching unmasked portions of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer.

9 more elements

A method for making a hardened photoresist material layer on a surface of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of:

coating said surface of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer with a layer of photoresist material;
masking, exposing, developing said photoresist material layer to form a patterned developed photoresist material layer;
curing said patterned developed photoresist material layer to form a hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer;
implanting, from a first implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with an implant dose of particles of an implant species;
incrementing said first implant direction by a first angle amount to a second implant direction;
implanting, from said second implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said implant dose of particles of said implant species;
incrementing said second implant direction by a second angle amount to a third implant direction;
implanting, from said third implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said implant dose of particles of said implant species;
incrementing said third implant direction by a third angle amount to a fourth implant direction;
implanting, from said fourth implant direction, said hardened patterned developed photoresist material layer with said implant dose of particles of said implant species;
and
etching unmasked portions of said substrate of said semiconductor wafer.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for hardening a photoresist material formed on a substrate

Life of this patent

Method for hardening a photoresist material formed on a substrate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28