Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described that includes forming a base layer over a top layer of a substrate, the base layer includes a silicon based dielectric having a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm and greater than or equal to 0.5 nm; forming a photoresist layer over the base layer, the photoresist including a first side and an opposite second side; exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer to a pattern of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the first side; exposing a second portion of the photoresist layer with a pattern of electron flux from the second side, the electron flux being directed into the photoresist layer from the base layer in response to the EUV radiation; developing the exposed photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer; and transferring the pattern of the patterned photoresist layer to the base layer and the top layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described that includes forming a base layer over a top layer of a substrate, the base layer includes a silicon based dielectric having a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm and greater than or equal to 0.5 nm; forming a photoresist layer over the base layer, the photoresist including a first side and an opposite second side; exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer to a pattern of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the first side; exposing a second portion of the photoresist layer with a pattern of electron flux from the second side, the electron flux being directed into the photoresist layer from the base layer in response to the EUV radiation; developing the exposed photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer; and transferring the pattern of the patterned photoresist layer to the base layer and the top layer.

Abstract: A substrate processing method is described for etching silicon carbide films for resist underlayer applications. The method includes providing a substrate containing a silicon carbide film thereon, and a photoresist layer defining a pattern over the silicon carbide film, plasma-exciting an etching gas containing a fluorocarbon-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas, and exposing the substrate to the plasma-excited etching gas to transfer the pattern to the silicon carbide film, where at least a portion of a thickness of the photoresist layer survives the exposing. For example, the photoresist layer includes an EUV resist layer and the etching gas includes C4F8 gas, O2 gas, and Ar gas. In another example, the exposing includes exposing the substrate to a) a plasma-excited etching gas containing C4F8 gas, O2 gas, and Ar gas, and b) exposing the substrate to a plasma-excited Ar gas, where steps a) and b) are sequentially performed at least once.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described that includes forming a base layer over a top layer of a substrate, the base layer includes a silicon based dielectric having a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm and greater than or equal to 0.5 nm; forming a photoresist layer over the base layer, the photoresist including a first side and an opposite second side; exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer to a pattern of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the first side; exposing a second portion of the photoresist layer with a pattern of electron flux from the second side, the electron flux being directed into the photoresist layer from the base layer in response to the EUV radiation; developing the exposed photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer; and transferring the pattern of the patterned photoresist layer to the base layer and the top layer.

Abstract: Improved methods are provided for transferring a photoresist pattern onto one or more underlying layers. In the disclosed embodiments, etch selectivity between a photoresist layer and one or more underlying layers is improved by pre-treating the underlying layer(s) with a plasma before the photoresist layer is deposited and patterned to form a photoresist pattern. The plasma modifies the underlying layer(s) by implanting ions into the underlying layer(s) to form a modified layer. When the modified layer is subsequently etched to transfer the photoresist pattern onto the modified layer, the presence of ions within the modified layer increases the etch rate of the modified layer, compared to the etch rate that the underlying layer(s) would have exhibited without plasma pre-treatment. The increased etch rate of the modified layer improves etch selectivity between the photoresist layer and the modified layer and mitigates defects during the photoresist pattern transfer process.

Abstract: A substrate processing method is described for etching silicon carbide films for resist underlayer applications. The method includes providing a substrate containing a silicon carbide film thereon, and a photoresist layer defining a pattern over the silicon carbide film, plasma-exciting an etching gas containing a fluorocarbon-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas, and exposing the substrate to the plasma-excited etching gas to transfer the pattern to the silicon carbide film, where at least a portion of a thickness of the photoresist layer survives the exposing. For example, the photoresist layer includes an EUV resist layer and the etching gas includes C4F8 gas, O2 gas, and Ar gas. In another example, the exposing includes exposing the substrate to a) a plasma-excited etching gas containing C4F8 gas, O2 gas, and Ar gas, and b) exposing the substrate to a plasma-excited Ar gas, where steps a) and b) are sequentially performed at least once.

Abstract: Described herein is an innovative method smoothing substrate surfaces. The surfaces to be smoothed may be a surface of a patterned feature of the substrate or may be an unpatterned surface of the substrate. The techniques disclosed utilize atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques to smooth surfaces. For example, the use of ALD to smooth the line edge roughness of a patterned feature or roughness of a surface of an unpatterned layer is described. ALD can grow high quality films with atomic level thickness controllability and conformality. The rough, sharp asperities on patterned features (for example on sidewalls or tops of a patterned feature) or on a surface can be smoothed by precisely growing material layer by layer over the rough surface. Thus, asperities on a surface may be smoothed, improving the manufacturability and/or device performance.