Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods that involve the combination of step-and-flash imprint lithography (SFIL) with a multi-tier template to simultaneously pattern multiple levels of, for example, an integrated circuit device. In such embodiments, the imprinted material generally does not serve or act as a simple etch mask or photoresist, but rather serves as the insulation between levels and lines, i.e., as a functional dielectric material. After imprinting and a multiple step curing process, the imprinted pattern is filled with metal, as in dual damascene processing. Typically, the two printed levels will comprise a “via level,” which is used to make electrical contact with the previously patterned under-level, and a “wiring level.” The present invention provides for the direct patterning of functional materials, which represents a significant departure from the traditional approach to microelectronics manufacturing.

Abstract: A method of patterning using double exposure patterning in a liquid immersion lithographic process is provided. The patterning method comprises a step of forming a first pattern on a substrate using a first resist layer forming composition, a step of making the first pattern inactive, a step of forming a second pattern on a substrate on which a pattern has been formed using a second resist layer forming composition and exposing the second resist layer to radiation, and a step of developing the exposed resist layer to form a second pattern in the space area of the first pattern. The first resist layer forming composition contains a cross-linking agent which accelerates conversion of the first layer from positive-working to negative-working.

Abstract: An upper layer film forming composition for forming an upper layer film on the surface of a photoresist film includes (A) a resin dissolvable in a developer for the photoresist film and (B) a compound having a sulfonic acid residue group, the composition forming an upper layer film with a receding contact angle to water of 70° or more. The upper layer film forming composition of the present invention can form an upper layer film which has a sufficient transparency and is stably maintained without eluting the components into a medium without being intermixed with a photoresist film, can form a resist pattern with high resolution while effectively suppressing a defect, and can suppress a blob defect.

Abstract: A composition for formation of upper layer film, which is used for forming an upper layer film on the surface of a photoresist film and which comprises a resin (A) having a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1-1) and not having a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1-2), and a resin (B) having a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1-2) and not having a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1-1). [In the general formulas (1-1) and (1-2), R1 is hydrogen or the like; R2 is single bonds or the like; and R3 is a fluorine-substituted, linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or the like.] The composition can form an upper layer film giving a sufficiently high receded contact angle.

Abstract: An upper layer-forming composition formed on a photoresist while causing almost no intermixing with the photoresist film and a photoresist patterning method are provided. The upper layer-forming composition is stably maintained without being eluted in a medium such as water during liquid immersion lithography and is easily dissolved in an alkaline developer. The upper layer-forming composition covers a photoresist film for forming a pattern by exposure to radiation. The composition comprises a resin dissolvable in a developer for the photoresist film and a solvent in which the resin is dissolved. The solvent has a viscosity of less than 5.2×10?3 Pa·s at 20° C. In addition, the solvent does not cause intermixing of the photoresist film and the upper layer-forming composition. The solvent contains an ether or a hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition suitable as a chemically-amplified resist useful for microfabrication utilizing various types of radiation such as deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser or ArF excimer laser. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention comprises: (A) a resin comprising a recurring unit (1-1) shown by the following formula (I-1) and (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator such as 1-(4-n-butoxynaphthyl)tetrahydrothiophenium nonafluoro-n-butanesulfonate. The radiation-sensitive resin composition may further comprise (C) an acid diffusion controller such as phenylbenzimidazole.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluorine-containing polymer, a radiation-sensitive resin composition for liquid immersion lithography which contains the fluorine-containing polymer, which leads to a pattern having an excellent shape and excellent depth of focus, wherein the amount of an eluted component in a liquid for liquid immersion lithography such as water that comes in contact with the resist during exposure in liquid immersion lithography is little, and which provides a larger receding contact angle between the resist film and the liquid for liquid immersion lithography such as water, and a method for purifying the fluorine-containing polymer. The present resin composition comprises a novel fluorine-containing polymer (A) containing repeating units represented by the general formulae (1) and (2) and having Mw of 1,000-50,000, a resin (B) having an acid-unstable group, a radiation-sensitive acid generator (C), a nitrogen-containing compound (D) and a solvent (E).

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition suitable as a chemically-amplified resist useful for microfabrication utilizing various types of radiation such as deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser or ArF excimer laser. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention comprises: (A) a resin comprising a recurring unit (1-1) shown by the following formula (I-1) and (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator such as 1-(4-n-butoxynaphthyl)tetrahydrothiophenium nonafluoro-n-butanesulfonate. The radiation-sensitive resin composition may further comprise (C) an acid diffusion controller such as phenylbenzimidazole.

Abstract: 1. A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising: (A) a resin insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becomes alkali soluble by the action of an acid and (B) a photoacid generator. The resin comprises (a) at least one recurring unit of the following formula (1-1) or (1-2), and (b) at least one recurring unit for the following formula (2-1), (2-2), or (2-3).

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition suitable as a chemically-amplified resist useful for microfabrication utilizing various types of radiation such as deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser or ArF excimer laser. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention comprises: (A) a resin comprising a recurring unit (1-1) shown by the following formula (I-1) and (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator such as 1-(4-n-butoxynaphthyl)tetrahydrothiophenium nonafluoro-n-butanesulfonate.

Abstract: An acrylic copolymer having a specific structure and a radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising the acrylic copolymer having high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, dry etching resistance, and pattern shape, and, in particular, excelling in forming contact holes and lines-and-spaces.

Abstract: Photoresist additive polymers and photoresist formulations that can be used in immersion lithography without the use of an additional topcoat. The resist compositions include a photoresist polymer, at least one photoacid generator, a solvent; and a photoresist additive polymer. Also a method of forming using photoresist formulations including photoresist additive polymers.

Abstract: An immersion upper layer film composition is provided which exhibits sufficient transparency for the exposure wavelength 248 nm(KrF) and 193 nm(ArF), can form a protective film on the photoresist film without being intermixed with the photoresist film, is not eluted into water used during immersion exposure to maintain a stable film, and can be easily dissolved in an alkaline developer. The composition applied to coat on the photoresist film when using an immersion exposure device which is irradiated through water provided between a lens and the photoresist film, the composition comprises a resin forming a water-stable film during irradiation and being dissolved in a subsequent developer, and a solvent containing a monovalent alcohol having 6 or less carbon atoms, and the resin contains a resin component having an alcoholic hydroxyl group on the side chain containing a fluoroalkyl group on at least the carbon atom of ?-position.

Abstract: An onium salt compound having a cation moiety of the following formula (1) is disclosed. wherein A represents I or S, m is 1 or 2, n is 0 or 1, x is 1–10, and Ar1 and Ar2 are (substituted) aromatic hydrocarbon group, and P represents —O—SO2R, —O—S(O)R, or —SO2R, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a (substituted) alkyl group, or a (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group. The onium salt compound is suitable as a photoacid generator for photoresists of a positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition. The positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition containing this compound is useful as a chemically-amplified photoresist exhibiting high resolution at high sensitivity, responsive to various radiations, and having outstanding storage stability.

Abstract: A method and system enables dynamic support of memory mapping devices in a multi-node computer system. One of central process unit (CPU) nodes determines a total amount of MMIO address spaces that are needed for all MMIO devices and generates an optimized granularity to support the total amount of MMIO address spaces. Based on the granularity, a CPU node controller configures MMIO range registers of the interconnect and other MMIO registers in IO nodes and CPU node controllers to support dynamic changes of MMIO address space requirements of the system.

Abstract: A chemically amplified radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising a specific copolymer and a photoacid generator, wherein the copolymer contains the following recurring unit (1) and/or the recurring unit (2), and the recurring unit (3-1), wherein R1 is a hydrogen or methyl, R2 is a C4-10 tertiary alkyl, R3 and R4 are a hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl, C6-15 aromatic, C1-12 alkoxyl, or R3 and R4 may form, in combination and together with the nitrogen atom with which the R3 and R4 groups bond, a C3-15 cyclic structure, provided that R3 and R4 are not a hydrogen atom at the same time. The composition effectively responds to various radiations, exhibits excellent resolution and pattern configuration and minimal iso-dense bias, and can form fine patterns at a high precision and in a stable manner.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition which is a resist having properties such as excellent sensitivity, a small degree of line edge roughness of patterns, capability of inhibiting pattern collapsing, and the like is provided. The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises an acid-dissociable group-containing polymer having recurring units of the following formulas (1-1) and (1-2), an additive of the following formula (1-3), and an acid generator, in the formula (1-1), R1 represents a methyl group and the like and X represents a specific polycyclic alicyclic hydrocarbon group and the like, in the formula (1-2), R1 represents a methyl group and the like and Z represents an acid-dissociable group which is dissociable by the action of an acid, and in the formula (1-3), n is an integer from 1-8 and A individually represents a hydroxyl group and the like.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods that involve the combination of step-and-flash imprint lithography (SFIL) with a multi-tier template to simultaneously pattern multiple levels of, for example, an integrated circuit device. In such embodiments, the imprinted material generally does not serve or act as a simple etch mask or photoresist, but rather serves as the insulation between levels and lines, i.e., as a functional dielectric material. After imprinting and a multiple step curing process, the imprinted pattern is filled with metal, as in dual damascene processing. Typically, the two printed levels will comprise a “via level,” which is used to make electrical contact with the previously patterned under-level, and a “wiring level.” The present invention provides for the direct patterning of functional materials, which represents a significant departure from the traditional approach to microelectronics manufacturing.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition suitable as a chemically-amplified resist useful for microfabrication utilizing various types of radiation such as deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser or ArF excimer laser. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention comprises: (A) a resin comprising a recurring unit (1-1) shown by the following formula (I-1) and (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator such as 1-(4-n-butoxynaphthyl)tetrahydrothiophenium nonafluoro-n-butanesulfonate. The radiation-sensitive resin composition may further comprise (C) an acid diffusion controller such as phenylbenzimidazole.

Abstract: Acid-catalyzed positive resist compositions which are imageable with 193 nm radiation and/or possibly other radiation and are developable to form resist structures of improved development characteristics and improved etch resistance are enabled by the use of resist compositions containing imaging polymer component comprising an acid-sensitive polymer having a monomeric unit with a pendant group containing a remote acid labile moiety.