Semiconductor processing method of promoting photoresist adhesion to an outer substrate layer predominately comprising silicon nitride

Abstract

A semiconductor processing method of promoting adhesion of photoresist to an outer substrate layer predominately comprising silicon nitride includes, a) providing a substrate; b) providing an outer layer of Si3N4 outwardly of the substrate, the outer Si3N4 layer having an outer surface; c) covering the outer Si3N4 surface with a discrete photoresist adhesion layer; and d) depositing a layer of photoresist over the outer Si3N4 surface having the intermediate discrete adhesion layer thereover, the photoresist adhering to the Si3N4 layer with a greater degree of adhesion than would otherwise occur if the intermediate discrete adhesion layer were not present. Further, a method in accordance with the invention includes, i) providing an outer layer of Si3N4 outwardly of the substrate, the outer Si3N4 layer having an outer surface; ii) transforming the outer Si3N4 surface into a material effective to promote adhesion of photoresist to the Si3N4 layer; and iii) depositing a layer of photoresist over the transformed outer Si3N4 surface, the photoresist adhering to the Si3N4 layer with a greater degree of adhesion than would otherwise occur if the outer Si3N4 surface were not transformed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.