Abstract: Environmentally stable, chemically amplified (CA) positive resist compositions are described. These resist compositions are based on a blend of at least two types of polymer platforms. The first platform is a low activation energy, acetal blocked polyhydroxystyrene (PHS) based resin; the second platform is an acrylate based resin containing a high activation energy acid labile group [such as tertiary-butyl acrylate(t-BA)]. The resist composition also contains a photo-acid generator (PAG), a base quencher, a surfactant dissolved in a suitable solvent. Also described, is the use of these resist composition in a method for forming a photoresist relief image on a substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for lithography patterning in accordance with some embodiments. The method includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate. The photoresist layer includes at least an acid labile group (ALG) and a thermo-base generator (TBG). The method further includes exposing a portion of the photoresist layer to a radiation and performing a baking process after the exposing of the portion of the photoresist layer. The TBG releases a base during the performing of the baking process, resulting in a chemical reaction between the ALG and the base. The method further includes removing an unexposed portion of the photoresist layer, resulting in a patterned photoresist layer.

Abstract: A patterned photo resist layer (for example an EUV photo resist layer), which may exhibit line width roughness (LWR) and line edge roughness (LER) or scum is treated with a plasma treatment before subsequent etching processes. The plasma treatment reduces LWR, LER, and/or photo resist scum. In one exemplary embodiment, the plasma treatment may include a plasma formed using a gas having a boron and halogen compound. In one embodiment, the gas compound may be a boron and chlorine compound, for example boron trichloride (BCl3) gas. In another embodiment, the gas compound may be a boron and fluorine compound, for example BxFy gases. The plasma treatment process may modify the photoresist surface to improve LWR, LER, and scum effects by removing roughness from the photo resist surface and removing photo resist residues which may case scumming.

Abstract: The sulfonium salt does not contain a toxic metal and exhibits higher cationic polymerization performance and crosslinking performance than a tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate salt. The heat- or photo-acid generator contains the sulfonium salt. The sulfonium salt is formed of a sulfonium cation selected from a group represented by general formulas (1), (9), (10) and (11) described below and a gallate anion represented by formula (a). The heat- or photo-acid generator contains the sulfonium salt. The heat- or energy ray-curable composition contains the acid generator and a cationically polymerizable compound. A cured product can be obtained by curing the same.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor with which the deterioration of lithographic performance or the occurrence of defects is suppressed such that a fine resist pattern or a fine semiconductor element can be manufactured. A treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: one compound (A) that satisfies the following requirement (a);one compound (B) or two or more compounds (B) that satisfy the following requirement (b); and one inorganic matter (C) or two or more inorganic matters (C) having any element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, S, N, and K. Here, a total content of the compound (B) in the treatment liquid is 10?10 to 0.1 mass %, and a ratio P of the inorganic matter (C) to the compound (B) represented by the following Expression I is 103 to 10?6.

Abstract: A pattern having a good balance of sensitivity, resolution and LWR is formed by providing a resist film comprising a base resin comprising recurring units having a C4-C6 tertiary alkoxy or alkoxycarbonyl group as an acid labile group and recurring units capable of generating a backbone-bound acid upon exposure, exposing the resist film to radiation, optionally post-exposure baking the resist film at a low temperature of 30-70° C., and developing the film.

Abstract: A photoresist composition comprising a resin which comprises a structural unit represented by the formula (I): and a salt represented by the formula (B1):

Abstract: A photosensitive composition including metal nanoparticles capped with an organic ligand, wherein the metal particles includes a metal that absorbs light in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum. A method including synthesizing metal particles including a diameter of 5 nanometers or less, wherein the metal particles includes a metal that absorbs light in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum; and capping the metal particles with an organic ligand. A method including depositing a photosensitive composition on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the photosensitive composition includes metal nanoparticles capped with an organic ligand and the nanoparticles include a metal that absorbs light in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum; exposing the photosensitive composition to light in an ultraviolet spectrum through a mask including a pattern; and transferring the mask pattern to the photosensitive composition.

Abstract: A membrane for EUV lithography, the membrane having a thickness of no more than 200 nm and including a stack having: at least one silicon layer; and at least one silicon compound layer made of a compound of silicon and an element selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorous, bromine.

Abstract: Two-stage bake photoresists with releasable quenchers for fabricating back end of line (BEOL) interconnects are described. In an example, a photolyzable composition includes an acid-deprotectable photoresist material having substantial transparency at a wavelength, a photo-acid-generating (PAG) component having substantial transparency at the wavelength, and a base-generating component having substantial absorptivity at the wavelength.

Abstract: A photoresist developer includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of 15<?d<25, 10<?p<25, and 6<?p<30; an acid having an acid dissociation constant, pKa, of ?15<pKa<4, or a base having a pKa of 40>pKa>9.5; and a chelate.

Abstract: A photosensitive resin composition comprising an isocyanurate-modified silicone resin containing an epoxy group in the molecule is easy to form a resin coating which has high transparency, light resistance and heat resistance, is amenable to micro-processing, and is useful in applications for protecting and encapsulating optical devices. The coating can be processed in thick film form to define a pattern having a fine size and perpendicularity, and becomes a cured coating which has improved adhesion to substrates, electronic parts, semiconductor devices, and supports for circuit boards, mechanical properties, electric insulation, and crack resistance, and is reliable as an insulating protective film.

Abstract: Provided is a composition for shrinking a photoresist pattern, which is capable of shrinking a photoresist pattern using a photoresist during the fabrication of a semiconductor, and to a method of shrinking a pattern using the composition, whereby a pattern to be formed can be shrunken in a photoresist-patterning process, thus remarkably decreasing the number of steps of a semiconductor fabrication process and reducing the fabrication time and costs.

Abstract: A method for reducing the level difference (iso-dense bias) (reverse bump) of a resist underlayer film formed on a semiconductor substrate having a stepped portion and a non-stepped portion by 5 nm or more, which comprises a step of applying the composition to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate having a stepped portion and a non-stepped portion. A method for reducing the level difference (iso-dense bias) of a resist underlayer film, comprising the steps of adding a fluorine-containing surfactant to a resist underlayer film-forming composition containing a polymer and a solvent and applying the composition containing the fluorine-containing surfactant to an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate having a stepped portion and a non-stepped portion. The level difference of a resist underlayer film formed on a semiconductor substrate between a stepped portion and a non-stepped portion (i.e., reverse bump) is reduced by 5 nm or more.

Abstract: A reflective mask blank includes a multilayer reflective film, and a pattern film to be partially etched when processing into a mask. The multilayer reflective film and the pattern film are placed on/above a substrate in this order from the substrate side. The pattern film includes an absorber film and a surface reflection enhancing film in this order from the substrate side. The relation of ((n?1)2+k2)1/2>((nABS?1)2+kABS2)1/2+0.03 is satisfied, nABS and kABS being a reflective index and an absorption coefficient of the absorber film at a wavelength of 13.53 nm, respectively, and n and k being a reflective index and an absorption coefficient of the surface reflection enhancing film at a wavelength of 13.53 nm, respectively.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt of specific structure having a polymerizable group is coated to form a resist film which is amenable to precise micropatterning because of improved LWR, CDU and resolution.

Abstract: The invention provides a novolak resin having excellent properties such as heat resistance, alkali developability, photosensitivity and resolution, a photosensitive composition including the novolak resin, a curable composition including the novolak resin, a cured product thereof, and a resist material which uses the photosensitive composition or the curable composition. The novolak resin is one obtained from a compound (A) having a tris(hydroxyaryl)methine group and an aldehyde compound (B) as essential reaction ingredients. The photosensitive composition includes the novolak resin. The curable composition includes the novolak resin, and the cured product is one obtained from such a composition. The resist material uses the photosensitive composition or the curable composition.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor and a pattern forming method, in which the formation of particles including metal atoms can be reduced and an excellent pattern can be formed. A treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a quaternary ammonium compound represented by Formula (N); at least one additive selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, and a chelating agent; and water. The treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor includes one kind or two or more kinds of metal atoms selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Mg, Mn, Li, Al, Cr, Ni, and Zn, and a total mass of the metal atoms is 1 mass ppt to 1 mass ppm with respect to the sum of a total mass of the additive and the total mass of the metal atoms.

Abstract: An exposure mask includes a substrate, and a plurality of first films and a plurality of second films located alternately over each other over selected portions of the substrate. The exposure mask further includes a third film selectively located over the first and second films. At least one first pattern is located over the substrate and does not include any of the first, second or third films. At least one second pattern is located over the substrate and includes the first and second films and does not include the third film. At least one third pattern is located over the substrate and includes the first, second and third films.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a sulfonium compound of specific structure as PAG has excellent lithography performance factors such as minimal defects, high sensitivity, improved LWR and CDU, and is a quite effective resist material for precise micropatterning.