Line pattern collapse mitigation through gap-fill material application

A method of patterning a substrate, comprising:

• forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on the substrate;
• performing a patterned exposure of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• performing a post-exposure bake of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• developing the layer of radiation-sensitive material to form a radiation sensitive material pattern;
• rinsing the radiation-sensitive material pattern with a rinse liquid;
• dispensing gap-fill treatment liquid on the radiation-sensitive material pattern to displace the rinse liquid;
• spinning the substrate to remove excess gap-fill treatment liquid and allow the remaining gap-fill treatment liquid to dry, thereby forming a gap-fill material layer which prevents collapse of the radiation-sensitive material pattern;
• and
• removing the gap-fill material layer from the radiation-sensitive material pattern,
• wherein the step removing the gap-fill material layer comprises exposing the gap-fill material layer to electromagnetic radiation, heating the gap-fill material layer by a heat source, exposing the gap-fill material layer to a catalyst, etching the gap-fill material layer, or a combination of two or more thereof, and
• wherein the gap-fill treatment liquid comprises at least one polymer compound from the group consisting of poly (succinaldehyde), poly(allyl alcohol), ploy(glyoxylic acid), poly(methyl glyoxylic acid), a polymeric salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid), poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid), a polymeric salt of poly(ethyl gloyoxylic acid), poly(methyl glyoxlate), and poly(ethyl glyoxylate).