Conformal organic coatings for sidewall patterning of sublithographic structures
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsChristopher F. Lyons, Michael K. Templeton
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of making a sub-lithographic structure involving the steps of providing a nitrogen rich film over a portion of a substrate; depositing a photoresist over the nitrogen rich film and the substrate, wherein the photoresist and the nitrogen rich film interact and form a thin desensitized resist layer around an interface between the photoresist and the nitrogen rich film; exposing the photoresist to radiation; developing the photoresist exposing the thin desensitized resist layer; directionally etching a portion of the thin desensitized resist layer; and removing the nitrogen rich film leaving the sub-lithographic structure on the substrate.
Claims20
A method of making a sub-lithographic structure comprising:
- providing a nitrogen rich film over a portion of a substrate;
- depositing a photoresist over the nitrogen rich film and the substrate, wherein the photoresist and the nitrogen rich film interact and form a thin desensitized resist layer around an interface between the photoresist and the nitrogen rich film, wherein the thin desensitized resist layer comprises a first, vertical portion and a second, horizontal portion;
- exposing the photoresist to radiation;
- developing the photoresist exposing the thin desensitized resist layer;
- directionally etching the second portion of the thin desensitized resist layer, leaving the first portion of the thin desensitized resist layer, thereby forming the sub-lithographic structure;
- and
- removing the nitrogen rich film leaving the sub-lithographic structure on the substrate.
A method of making a sub-lithographic structure comprising:
- providing a nitrogen rich film over a portion of a substrate, the nitrogen rich film including at least one edge;
- depositing an acid catalyzed photoresist over the nitrogen rich film and the substrate, wherein the acid catalyzed photoresist and the nitrogen rich film interact and form a thin desensitized resist layer around an interface between the acid catalyzed photoresist and the nitrogen rich film;
- exposing the acid catalyzed photoresist to radiation;
- developing the acid catalyzed photoresist exposing the thin desensitized resist layer;
- directionally etching a portion of the thin desensitized resist layer formed above the nitrogen rich film while maintaining a portion of the thin desensitized resist layer laterally adjacent at least one edge;
- and
- removing the nitrogen rich film leaving the portion of the thin desensitized resist layer laterally adjacent at least one edge of the nitrogen rich film forming the sub-lithographic structure on the substrate, wherein the sub-lithographic structure has a width from about 100 Å to about 2,000 Å and a height from about 300 Å to about 5,000 Å.
A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- providing a silicon nitride film over a portion of a substrate;
- depositing an acid catalyzed photoresist over the silicon nitride film and the substrate, wherein the acid catalyzed photoresist and the silicon nitride film interact and form a thin desensitized resist layer having a thickness from about 100 Å to about 2,000 Å around an interface between the acid catalyzed photoresist and the silicon nitride film, wherein the thin desensitized resist layer comprises a first, vertical portion and a second, horizontal portion;
- exposing the acid catalyzed photoresist to radiation;
- developing the acid catalyzed photoresist with an aqueous alkaline solution exposing the thin desensitized resist layer;
- directionally etching the second portion of the thin desensitized resist layer, leaving the first portion of the thin desensitized resist layer, thereby forming the sub-lithographic structure;
- and
- removing the silicon nitride film leaving a sub-lithographic structure on the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.