Abstract: A positive-working photoresist composition suitable for fine patterning in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, e.g., VLSIs, with high fidelity is proposed. The composition comprises 100 parts by weight of a cresol novolac resin and 25-60 parts by weight of a naphthoquinone diazide sulfonic acid ester as the photosensitive component while the cresol novolac resin component is prepared from a mixture of cresol isomers composed of 35-43% of m-cresol and 65-57% of p-cresol with substantial absence of o-cresol or composed of 35-43% of m-cresol, 65-57% of p-cresol and 1% or less of o-cresol.

Abstract: A remover solution for photoresist comprising (a) a solvent which is typically water, (b) an inorganic or organic alkaline compound such as sodium and potassium hydroxides, and (c) a borohydride compound such as sodium and lithium borohydrides and organic amine borane compounds. When used for removing patterned photoresist layer in the manufacturing process of, for example, electronic circuit board substrates. The method gives quite satisfactory results without discoloration or denaturation of the copper surface and solder surface, consequently leading to the production of high-quality products.

Abstract: The undercoating composition of the invention, useful for providing an undercoating layer for a top coat of a photosensitive resist layer on a substrate surface, comprises, as a principal ingredient thereof, a condensation product obtained by the condensation reaction between a hydroxy-substituted diphenylamine and a melamine compound substituted on the nitrogen atoms with methylol groups and/or alkoxymethyl groups. The undercoating obtained of the composition is highly resistant against the attack by the overcoating solution applied thereon so that the fidelity of the pattern reproduction by the photolithographic technique is greatly improved by virtue of the absence of any disorder at the interface between the undercoating and top coat layers. The advantage is further increased when the undercoating composition further comprises a photoextinctive agent, e.g. a dye, having absorptivity in the wave length region where the photosensitive resist of the top coat has sensitivity.

Abstract: The remover solution for photoresist layers comprises: (a) from 30 to 70% by weight of an aromatic hydrocarbon compound or a combination of aromatic hydrocarbon compounds having a flash point of 70.degree. C. or higher containing at least a half amount of a naphthalenic compound selected from the group consisting of naphthalene, methyl naphthalenes and dimethyl naphthalenes; (b) from 5 to 40% by weight of a phenolic compound; and (c) from 10 to 50% by weight of an arylsulfonic acid. The remover solution is effective for a variety of photoresist compositions with less problems in respect to the workers' health and danger of fire and explosion than conventional remover solutions.

Abstract: The aqueous developing solution of the invention for positive-working photoresist compositions contains, in addition to an organic basic compound free from metallic ions, such as tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and choline, as the principal ingredient, from 50 to 5000 ppm of an acetylene alcohol. In comparison with conventional developing solutions, the inventive developing solution is advantageous in the uniformity of the patterned photoresist layer, higher sensitivity and smaller temperature dependency of development and less drawbacks due to foaming of the solution.

Abstract: A dually photosensitive composition useful as a photoresist in the manufacture of ICs and the like electronic devices, which is positively photosensitive by exposure to ultraviolet in a relatively small dose but negatively photosensitive by exposure to ultraviolet in a substantially larger dose than above or by exposure to far ultraviolet light, is obtained by admixing a positive-type photoresist material comprising a novolac resin and an o-naphthoquinone diazide compound with a bisazide compound such as 4,4'-diazidodiphenyl sulfide. The inventive photosensitive composition provides a possibility of developing an ingenious technique for patterning of a photoresist layer on the substrate such as a checkboard-like patterned layer by use of a photomask of a line-and-space pattern.

Abstract: The aqueous developing solution of the invention for positive-working photoresist compositions contains, in addition to an organic basic compound free from metal ions, such as tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and choline, as the principal ingredient, from 50 to 5000 ppm of an anionic or non-ionic fluorine-containing surface active agent of specific types. In comparison with conventional developing solutions without such a surface active agent, the inventive developing solution is advantageous in the uniformity of the patterned photoresist layer and higher sensitivity and smaller temperature dependency of development.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement over the conventional positive-working photoresist compositions comprising a novolac resin and an ester compound between 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone and naphthoquinone-1,2-diazido-5-sulfonic acid in respect of scum formation in development and resistance of the patterned photoresist layer against heat and dry etching. The inventive composition comprises, in addition to the novolac resin and the ester compounds, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone in a specified amount relative to the ester compounds as a part of the photosensitive component which may be a reaction product obtained by the esterification reaction for the synthesis of the ester compounds containing unesterified 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone.

Abstract: The negative-working photosensitive composition of the invention, which is suitable as a photoresist material in the photolithographic processing of semiconductor devices, comprises (a) a condensation product of a hydroxy-substituted diphenylamine compound such as 4-hydroxy diphenylamine and a methylol melamine or alkoxylated methylol melamine by the reaction in a medium of phosphoric or sulfuric acid and (b) an azide compound capable of strongly absorbing UV or far UV light. The composition gives a photoresist layer having high resistance against heat in the post-baking and the attack of gas plasma encountered in the dry etching for semiconductor processing.

Abstract: A photomask, used for the photolithographic fine patterning of a photoresist film in the preparation of semiconductors, is provided with a thin film of a polymeric material having resilient elasticity to cover the patterned masking layer and the surface of the substrate plate altogether so that very intimate contact is obtained between the photomask and the photoresist film contributing to a great increase in the resolving power in addition to the advantages of decreased stain and scratch formation on the surface of the photomask resulting in an increased productivity of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: The undercoating composition of the invention, useful for providing an undercoating layer for a top coat of a photosensitive resist layer on a substrate surface, comprises, as a principal ingredient thereof, a condensation product obtained by the condensation reaction between a hydroxy-substituted diphenylamine and a melamine compound substituted on the nitrogen atoms with methylol groups and/or alkoxymethyl groups. The undercoating obtained of the composition is highly resistant against the attack by the overcoating solution applied thereon so that the fidelity of the pattern reproduction by the photolithographic technique is greatly improved by virtue of the absence of any disorder at the interface between the undercoating and top coat layers. The advantage is further increased when the undercoating composition further comprises a photoextinctive agent, e.g. a dye, having absorptivity in the wave length region where the photosensitive resist of the top coat has sensitivity.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel means for providing a highly heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant coating film on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor silicon wafer or glass plate by coating the surface with a liquid coating composition which is a solution of an oligomeric organopolysiloxane as a partial dehydration-condensation product of a monohydrocarbylsilane triol RSi(OH).sub.3, optionally, with admixture of a dihydrocarbylsilane diol R.sub.2 Si(OH).sub.2, R being a monovalent hydrocarbon group, e.g. methyl or phenyl, in an organic solvent followed by baking of the coated substrate to convert the coating layer into a cured resin film.

Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous alkaline developer solution for a positive-type photoresist layer for pattern-wise treatment of the surface of a substrate, e.g., semiconductor wafer. The developer solution contains a tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide, e.g., tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, and a trialkyl hydroxyalkyl ammonium hydroxide, e.g., trimethyl hydroxyethyl ammonium hydroxide, as the essential ingredients and the temperature dependency of the development performance thereof is noticeably smaller than that of conventional developer solutions with respect to properties of the sensitivity of the photoresist and the thickness reduction of the photoresist layer in the unexposed areas, by virtue of the compensating temperature dependencies for these properties of these two ingredients for each other.

Abstract: A method for high-fidelity fine patterning of a photoresist layer involving a dry-process development by exposure to a plasma gas. Following irradiation in a pattern with actinic rays, a photoresist layer coated on a substrate is heated in an atmosphere at 200.degree. to 500.degree. C. Subsequent exposure of the photoresist layer to a plasma gas gives a finely patterned resist layer with a very high residual film ratio or very small decrease in the film thickness.

Abstract: A method for high fidelity patterning of a photoresist layer involving a dry-process development by exposure to a plasma gas. A photoresist layer which had been irradiated in a pattern with actinic rays is heated at a temperature in the range from 200.degree. to 500.degree. C. by applying heat to the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface bearing the photoresist layer, for example, by placing the substrate on a hot plate with the uncoated surface in contact with the hot plate. Subsequent exposure to plasma gas gives a patterned resist layer with a very high residual film thickness.

Abstract: A plasma etching method employing a parallel-plate type plasma etching device which comprises a reaction chamber, a substantially plate-like ground electrode and a substantially plate-like counter electrode both disposed in parallel with each other within the reaction chamber. The method includes the steps of placing a material to be etched on the ground electrode and carrying out an electric discharge with a spacing between the electrodes being substantially 3 to 10 mm. Etching is performed exactly at a high speed in an anisotropic form without requiring a high degree of vacuum.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for the so-called dry-film process for forming a pattern-wise photoresist layer on the substrate surface in which a substrate is overlaid and laminated with a preformed film of a photosensitive composition called a dry film and photolithographically processed. In the inventive method, different from conventional dry-film processes, the substrate plate is first provided with a protecting layer of a photosensitive composition containing a halation inhibitor and the lamination with a dry film is performed without removing the protecting layer. After pattern-wise exposure to light, development of the photosensitive layer is undertaken by use of a developer solvent capable of dissolving both of the protecting layer and the pattern-forming layer. Despite the intervention of the protecting layer, the resolving power and image reproducibility are excellent.

Abstract: An automatic plasma processing device having a substantially vertically disposed plasma chamber in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers are processed with plasma simultaneously. The device comprises a container cassette adapted to contain a plurality of wafers therein, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cassette to a predetermined position, a replacing mechanism for taking out the wafers from the cassette placed at the predetermined position, a holding frame operable to receive the wafers from the replacing mechanism and hold the same therein, a driving mechanism for moving the holding frame up and down into and out of the plasma chamber, a plasma generating mechanism for generating plasma in the plasma chamber, and a control system for controlling the aforesaid mechanisms. The automatic plasma processing device has a simplified construction and automatically and successively processes a large number of wafers, while at the same time being compact.

Abstract: An automatic plasma processing device having a substantially vertically disposed plasma chamber in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers can be simultaneously processed with plasma. The automatic plasma processing device comprises a container cassette adapted to contain a plurality of wafers therein, a feeding mechanism for taking out the wafers one by one from the cassette and for feeding the same, a holding frame for receiving the wafers one by one from the feeding mechanism and for holding the same therein, a driving mechanism for moving the holding frame up and down into and out of the plasma chamber, a plasma generating mechanism for generating plasma in the plasma chamber, and a control system for controlling the aforesaid mechanisms. The device is simplified in construction and can automatically and successively process a large number of wafers, while at the same time having a compact construction.