Process for reducing edge roughness in patterned photoresist
AssigneeAxcelis Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJohn S. Hallock, Robert D. Mohondro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for reducing roughness from a surface of a patterned photoresist. The process includes exposing a substrate having the patterned photoresist thereon to a vapor, wherein the vapor penetrates into and/or reacts with the surface of the photoresist. The substrate having the patterned photoresist thereon is then heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the surface of the photoresist to flow and/or react with the vapor wherein the surface roughness decreases. Optionally, the substrate is exposed to radiation during the process to increase the etch resistance of the photoresist and/or facilitate the reaction of the vapor with the surface of the photoresist.
Claims16
A process for reducing roughness from a surface of a patterned chemically amplified photoresist, the process comprising:
- a) exposing a substrate having patterned chemically amplified photoresist resulting from imaging and developing processing thereon to a vapor, wherein the vapor diffuses into the surface of the patterned photoresist;
- b) heating the substrate to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the surface of the patterned photoresist to flow wherein the surface roughness decreases;
- c) exposing the patterned photoresist to an activating radiation prior to, simultaneous with or subsequent to exposing the substrate to the vapor to form a compound, wherein the compound is reactive with the vapor;
- and
- d) reacting the vapor with the compound to form a polymer.
A process for reducing roughness from a surface of a patterned photoresist, the process comprising:
- a) exposing a substrate having patterned photoresist resulting from imaging and developing processing thereon to a reactive vapor, wherein the vapor penetrates into the surface of the patterned photoresist;
- b) heating the substrate to a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the surface of the patterned photoresist to flow wherein the surface roughness decreases;
- and
- c) polymerizing the reactive vapor within the photoresist by exposing the patterned photoresist to an activating energy whereby the vapor reacts in the patterned photoresist to form a compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.