Organic graded spin on BARC compositions for high NA lithography

A method for forming a patterned material layer comprising:

• spin-coating a plurality of polymer components that chemically differ from each other, a crosslinking component, and an acid generator onto a substrate to form a single-layer graded antireflective coating,
• wherein the plurality of polymer components contain at least one moiety being a chromophore to a preselected imaging radiation wavelength and at least one moiety transparent to the preselected imaging radiation wavelength,
• disposing a photoresist layer on the single-layer graded antireflective coating;
• there being a first interface between the single-layer graded antireflective coating and the photoresist;
• there being a second interface between the single-layer graded antireflective coating and the substrate;
• wherein the plurality of polymer components comprises two components which substantially segregate between the first interface and the second interface;
• patterning the single-layer composite graded antireflective coating and the photoresist;
• wherein the plurality of polymer components are random copolymers comprising moieties selected from the group consisting of polybisphenols, polysulfones, polycarbonates, polyhydroquinones, polyphthalates, polybenzoates, polyphenylethers, polyhydroquinone alkylates, polycarbamates and polymalonates;
• and
• wherein the plurality of polymer components comprise a plurality of reactive sites distributed along the plurality of polymer components for reaction with the crosslinking component.

A method for forming a patterned material layer on a substrate comprising:

• providing a substrate having a material layer on a surface thereof;
• forming a single-layer graded antireflective coating layer over the material layerby spin- coating a single-layer graded antireflective coating composition comprising a plurality of polymer components that chemically differ from each other and wherein said plurality of polymer components contain at least one moiety being a chromophore to preselected imaging radiation wavelength and at least one moiety transparent to said preselected imaging radiation wavelength;
• depositing a photoresist composition on the single-layer graded antireflective coating layer to form a photoresist imaging layer on the material;
• optionally applying a topcoat layer;
• patternwise exposing the photoresist imaging layer to radiation thereby creating a pattern of radiation-exposed regions in the photoresist imaging layer,
• selectively removing portions of the photoresist imaging layer to expose portions of the material layer, and
• etching the exposed portions of the material layer, thereby forming the patterned material feature wherein said plurality of polymer components comprises two components which substantially segregate between a first interface and a second interface;
• said single-layer composite graded antireflection coating composition further comprises a crosslinking component and an acid generator, wherein said polymer components are random copolymers comprising moieties selected from the group consisting of polybisphenols, polysulfones, polycarbonates, polyhydroquinones, polyphthalates, polybenzoates, polyphenylethers, polyhydroquinone alkylates, polycarbamates and polymalonates , and wherein said polymer components comprise a plurality of reactive sites distributed along said polymer for reaction with said crosslinking component.

A structure comprising:

• a single-layer graded antireflective coating on a substrate, wherein the single-layer graded antireflective coating comprises a crosslinker, an acid generator, and a plurality of polymer components that chemically differ from each other and wherein the plurality of polymer components contain at least one moiety being a chromophore to a preselected imaging radiation wavelength and at least one moiety transparent to the preselected imaging radiation wavelength located beneath a photoresist layer;
• the photoresist layer being disposed on the single-layer graded antireflective coating;
• there being a first interface between the single-layer graded antireflective coating and the photoresist layer;
• there being a second interface between the single-layer composite graded antireflective coating and the substrate;
• the plurality of polymer components within the single-layer composite graded antireflective coating substantially segregate between the first interface and the second interface;
• further comprising a pattern in said single-layer graded antireflective coating and said photoresist layer;
• said polymer components are random copolymers comprising moieties selected from the group consisting of a polybisphenols, polysulfones, polycarbonates, polyhydroquinones, polyphthalates, polybenzoates, polyphenylethers, polyhydroquinone alkylates, polycarbamates and polymalonates;
• wherein said polymer components comprise a plurality of reactive sites distributed along said polymer for reaction with said crosslinking component.