Treat resist surface to prevent pattern collapse

A method of increasing the pattern collapse resistance of an ultra-thin resist, comprising:

• irradiating the ultra-thin resist with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 250 nm or less, the ultra-thin resist having a thickness less than about 5,000 Å;
• developing the ultra-thin resist to form a patterned resist;
• contacting the patterned resist with a transition solvent in a liquid state within about 5 minutes after developing to provide the patterned resist with a hydrophobic surface, wherein contact of the patterned resist with the transition is conducted between developing the ultra-thin resist and rinsing patterned resist;
• and
• rinsing the patterned resist having the hydrophobic surface with an aqueous solution.

A method of forming a mask on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• depositing an ultra-thin photoresist over a semiconductor substrate, the ultra-thin resist having a thickness less than about 3,000 Å;
• irradiating the ultra-thin resist with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 250 nm or less;
• developing the ultra-thin resist with a developer to form a patterned resist, the patterned resist having a surface with a first hydrophobicity;
• contacting the pattemed resist with a transition solvent in a liquid state within about 5 minutes after developing to provide the surface of the patterned resist with a second hydrophobicity under at least one of an atmosphere comprising at least about 10% by weight ozone and ultraviolet light, wherein the second hydrophobicity is greater than the first hydrophobicity and contact of the patterned resist with the transition is conducted between developing the ultra-thin resist and rinsing patterned resist;
• and
• rinsing the patterned resist having the second hydrophobicity with an aqueous solution.

A method of forming a mask on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• depositing an ultra-thin photoresist over a semiconductor substrate, the ultra-thin resist having a thickness less than about 5,000 Å;
• irradiating the ultra-thin resist with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 250 nm or less;
• developing the ultra-thin resist with a developer to form a patterned resist, the patterned resist having a surface with a first hydrophobicity;
• contacting the patterned resist with a transition solvent in a liquid state within about 5 minutes after developing to provide the surface of the patterned resist with a second hydrophobicity under at least one of an atmosphere comprising at least about 5% by weight ozone and ultraviolet light, wherein the second hydrophobicity is greater than the first hydrophobicity and contact of the patterned resist with the transition is conducted between developing the ultra-thin resist and rinsing patterned resist;
• and
• rinsing the patterned resist having the second hydrophobicity with an aqueous solution.