Methods of processing a semiconductor substrate

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edae of the semiconductor substrate;
• providing a layer comprising amorphous carbon over the substrate outer surface, a masking layer outwardly of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, and a resist layer outwardly of the masking layer;
• at least a portion of the peripheral region of the outer surface comprising the amorphous carbon-comprising layer and the resist layer but which is substantially void of the masking layer;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate, the outer surface comprising a central region received radially inward of the peripheral region, the resist layer being thicker over at least some portion of the peripheral region than over the central region at least prior to patterning of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate;
• providing a layer comprising amorphous carbon over the substrate outer surface, a masking layer outwardly of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, and a resist layer outwardly of the masking layer;
• at least a portion of the peripheral region of the outer surface comprising the amorphous carbon-comprising layer and the resist layer but which is substantially void of the masking layer, the providing of the masking layer comprising depositing, said depositing not occurring over the portion;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate;
• providing a layer comprising amorphous carbon over the substrate outer surface, a masking layer outwardly of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, a resist layer outwardly of the masking layer, and a material different from the masking layer intermediate the resist layer and the amorphous carbon-comprising layer;
• at least a portion of the peripheral region of the outer surface comprising the amorphous carbon-comprising layer and the resist layer but which is substantially void of the masking layer;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate;
• providing a layer comprising amorphous carbon over the substrate outer surface, a masking layer outwardly of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, and a resist layer outwardly of the masking layer;
• at least a portion of the peripheral region of the outer surface comprising the amorphous carbon-comprising layer and the resist layer but which is substantially void of the masking layer;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• prior to patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, exposing the resist in only the peripheral region to incident radiation at an energy density of at least 200 mW/cm2 for a period of time effective to prevent resist dissolution in the peripheral region during a development process of the resist;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate, the outer surface comprising a central region received radially inward of the peripheral region;
• blanketly depositing an amorphous carbon-comprising layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• masking all of the peripheral region while depositing a masking layer over the amorphous carbon-comprising layer over the central region such that the peripheral region is substantially void of the masking layer;
• after depositing the masking layer, blanketly depositing a resist layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer at least in part using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate, the outer surface comprising a central region received radially inward of the peripheral region;
• blanketly depositing an amorphous carbon-comprising layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• blanketly depositing a masking layer over the amorphous carbon-comprising layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• blanketly depositing a first resist layer over the masking layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• removing the first layer of resist from over all of the peripheral region while leaving the central region covered with the first layer of resist;
• after said removing the first layer of resist from over all of the peripheral region, removing at least some of the masking layer from the peripheral region while the central region is covered with the first layer of resist;
• after said removing at least some of the masking layer from the peripheral region, removing remaining first layer of resist from the substrate;
• after said removing the remaining first layer of resist, blanketly depositing a second layer of resist over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer at least in part using the second layer of resist and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate, the outer surface comprising a central region received radially inward of the peripheral region;
• blanketly depositing an amorphous carbon-comprising layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• blanketly depositing a masking layer over the amorphous carbon-comprising layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• removing at least some of the masking layer from over all of the peripheral region while leaving the central region covered with the masking layer;
• after said removing the masking layer, blanketly depositing a resist layer over an entirety of the semiconductor substrate outer surface;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer at least in part using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.

A method of processing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer surface, the outer surface having a peripheral region received about a peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate;
• providing a layer comprising amorphous carbon over the substrate outer surface, a masking layer outwardly of the amorphous carbon-comprising layer, and a resist layer outwardly of the masking layer;
• at least a portion of the peripheral region of the outer surface comprising the amorphous carbon-comprising layer and the resist layer but which is substantially void of the masking layer;
• the masking layer comprising at least one of an antireflective coating, a carbide, silicon in elemental crystalline form, a conductive elemental metal, an alloy of elemental metals, a conductive metal compound, a non-conductive nitride, and a silicon oxide;
• patterning the amorphous carbon-comprising layer using the resist layer and the masking layer effective to form a mask over the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• after the patterning, processing the semiconductor substrate inwardly of the mask through openings formed in the mask.