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US 7,887,875 B2Granted
Method to reduce photoresist poisoning
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsJames B. Friedmann, Shangting Detweiler, Brian M. Trentman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A silicon rich anti-reflective coating (30) is formed on a layer (10) in which narrow linewidth features are to be formed. Prior to the formation of a photoresist layer (50), the anti-reflecting coating (30) is exposed to excited oxygen species to reduce photoresist poisoning.
Claims9
A method to reduce photoresist poisoning, comprising:
- providing a first layer to be patterned;
- forming a silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer on said first layer;
- passivating an upper surface of said silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer using a gas mixture comprising N2O and at a temperature between 200° C. and 375° C.;
- exposing the passivated silicon rich anti-reflective coating layer to excited oxygen species wherein said excited oxygen species are produced using a downstream plasma process;
- forming a photoresist layer on said anti-reflective coating layer;
- and
- patterning said photoresist layer.
4 more elements
A method to reduce photoresist poisoning, comprising:
- providing a first layer to be patterned;
- forming a silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer on said first layer by a method comprising flowing SiH4 and NH3 into a deposition chamber;
- passivating an upper surface of said silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer using a gas mixture comprising N2O;
- exposing the passivated silicon rich anti-reflective coating layer to excited oxygen species wherein said excited oxygen species are produced using O2 in a downstream plasma process, wherein said downstream plasma process is conducted at an RF power ranging from 700 watts to 1200 watts;
- forming a photoresist layer on said anti-reflective coating layer;
- and
- patterning said photoresist layer.
4 more elements
A method to reduce photoresist poisoning, comprising:
- providing a first layer to be patterned;
- forming a silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer on said first layer, wherein forming the silicon rich silicon nitride layer comprises using SiH4 and NH3 as reaction gases;
- passivating an upper surface of said silicon rich silicon nitride anti-reflective coating layer using a gas mixture comprising N2O;
- exposing the passivated silicon rich anti-reflective coating layer to excited oxygen species;
- forming a photoresist layer on said anti-reflective coating layer;
- and
- patterning said photoresist layer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.