Patents Examined by Rosemary Ashton
  • Resist compositions with polymers having pendant groups containing plural acid labile moieties
    Patent number: 6534239
    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 having a monomer with a pendant group containing plural acid labile moieties. Preferred pendant groups containing plural acid labile moieties are characterized by the presence of a bulky end group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pushkara Rao Varanasi, Margaret C. Lawson, Wenjie Li
  • Photocurable halofluorinated acrylates
    Patent number: 6534671
    Abstract: This invention relates to a novel class of halofluorinated acrylates and more particularly to chlorofluorinated or bromofluorinated acrylates characterized by a chlorofluorinated or bromofluorinated alkylene moiety with acrylate functions at both terminals. These chlorofluorinated acrylates may be photocured in the presence of a photoinitiator into transparent polymers useful as optical waveguiding materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Chengjiu Wu, Baopei Xu, Jianhui Shan, James T. Yardley
  • Pattern formation method and pattern formation material
    Patent number: 6531259
    Abstract: The pattern formation material of this invention includes a base polymer having a unit represented by the following General Formula 1: General Formula 1: wherein R0 is an alkyl group; R1 is a group that is decomposed through irradiation of light; and R3 and R4 are the same or different and selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and compounds including hydrogen and carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kishimura, Akiko Katsuyama, Masaru Sasago
  • Chemical amplification type negative-working resist composition for electron beams or X-rays
    Patent number: 6528233
    Abstract: A negative-working chemical amplification-type resist composition for electron beams or X-rays satisfying the characteristics of the sensitivity and resolution•resist pattern for the use of electron beams or X-rays is provided. The chemical amplification-type negative-working resist composition contains (1) an alkali-soluble resin having a weight-average molecular weight of exceeding 3,000 and not larger than 1,000,000, (2) a crosslinking agent causing crosslinkage by an acid, and (3) a compound generating an acid by the irradiation of electron beams or X-rays, wherein the alkali-soluble resin has a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Adegawa
  • Hexaaryl biimidazole compounds as photoinitiators, photosensitive composition and method of manufacturing patterns using the compounds
    Patent number: 6524770
    Abstract: A hexaaryl biimidazole compound useful as a photoinitiator, represented by Formula (I): wherein each R group represents an alkyl group which may be the same or different, and each X group is independently a fluorine or hydrogen. The compound (I) is particularly useful as an initiator in a photosensitive composition containing a polyimide precursor, which is curable under patternwise low radiation exposure to give a patterned layer having heat and chemical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Hidaka, Makoto Kaji
  • N-sulfonyloxyimide compound and radiation-sensitive resin composition using the same
    Patent number: 6517992
    Abstract: An N-sulfonyloxyimide compound having the formula (1): wherein X represents a single bond or a double bond, Y and Z represent a hydrogen atom or others and may combine to form a cyclic structure; and R is a group having the formula (2): wherein X1 represents an organic group having an ester linkage, R1 represents an alkyl group or an alkoxyl group; and m is an integer of 1 to 11 and n is an integer of 0 to 10, satisfying m+n≦11; and chemically amplified positive and negative radiation-sensitive resin compositions using the compound are provided. The N-sulfonyloxyimide compound is a good radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent, has no problem of volatilization or side reaction, can keep dark reaction from taking place during the storage. The compound is useful as a component of radiation-sensitive chemically amplified resists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Yong Wang, Eiichi Kobayashi, Masaaki Miyaji, Jun Numata, Tsutomu Shimokawa
  • Positive photosensitive composition
    Patent number: 6517991
    Abstract: A positive photosensitive composition comprising (A) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, and (B-1) a resin having a group which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkaline developing solution and containing at least one structure represented by formulae (I), (II) and (III) as described in the specification or (B-2) a resin having at least one monovalent polyalicyclic group represented by formula (Ib) as described in the specification and a group which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkaline developing solution. The positive photosensitive composition containing the resin according to the present invention has high transmittance to far ultraviolet light particularly having a wavelength of 220 nm or less and exhibits good dry etching resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Kodama, Kenichiro Sato, Toshiaki Aoai
  • Photosensitive polymer including copolymer of alkyl vinyl ether and resist composition containing the same
    Patent number: 6517990
    Abstract: There are provided a photosensitive polymer having a copolymer of alkyl vinyl ether and a resist composition containing the same. The photosensitive polymer includes a copolymer of alkyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, represented by the following structure: wherein X is one of a linear alkyl vinyl ether and a cyclic alkyl vinyl ether, which are respectively represented by the structures wherein y is one of the integer values 1 through 4, R1 is one of a hydrogen atom and a methyl group, R2 is a C1 to C20 hydrocarbon, and R3 is one of a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C3 alkyl group and an alkoxy group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-jun Choi, Hyun-woo Kim
  • Copolymer, photoresist composition, and process for forming resist pattern with high aspect ratio
    Patent number: 6517993
    Abstract: A novel copolymer includes a repeating unit (A) represented by, for example, Formula (I) below, and a repeating unit (B) derived from an unsaturated carboxylic anhydride. The novel copolymer is suitable for the preparation of a photoresist composition that has satisfactory transparency, high sensitivity and definition and exhibits satisfactory DOF properties in the field of photolithography using a deep UV light source. By the use of the photoresist composition, a process forms a resist pattern with a high aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Taeko Ikegawa, Atsushi Sawano, Kousuke Doi, Hidekatsu Kohara
  • Bottom resist
    Patent number: 6514663
    Abstract: A bottom resist for the two-layer technique includes a phenolic base polymer, a thermoactive compound which above a temperature of 100° C. releases a sulfonic acid, and a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hien, Michael Sebald
  • Tunable vapor deposited materials as antireflective coatings, hardmasks and as combined antireflective coating/hardmasks and methods of fabrication thereof and applications thereof
    Patent number: 6514667
    Abstract: A lithographic structure and method of fabrication and use thereof having a plurality of layers at least one of which is a an RCHX layer which comprises a material having structural formula R:C:H:X, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, B, Sn, Fe, Ti and combinations thereof and wherein X is not present or is selected from the group consisting of one or more of O, N, S, and F and a layer of an energy active material. The RCHX layers are useful as hardmask layers, anti-reflection layers and hardmask anti-reflection layers. The RCHX layer can be vapor-deposited and patterned by patterning the energy active material and transferring the pattern to the RCHX layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marie Angelopoulos, Katherina Babich, Alfred Grill, Scott David Halle, Arpan Pravin Mahorowala, Vishnubhai Vitthalbhai Patel
  • Polymers, resist compositions and patterning process
    Patent number: 6511787
    Abstract: An acrylic resin containing hexafluoroisopropanol units has high transmittance to VUV radiation. A resist composition using the resin as a base polymer has high transparency, substrate adhesion, alkali developability and acid-elimination capability and is suited for lithographic microprocessing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Central Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Harada, Jun Hatakeyama, Jun Watanabe, Yoshio Kawai, Masaru Sasago, Masayuki Endo, Shinji Kishimura, Michitaka Ootani, Satoru Miyazawa, Kentaro Tsutsumi, Kazuhiko Maeda
  • Pattern formation material and pattern formation method
    Patent number: 6511786
    Abstract: A pattern formation material of this invention contains a polymer including a first unit represented by Chemical Formula 1 and a second unit represented by Chemical Formula 2, and an acid generator: wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, a chlorine atom and an alkyl group including a chlorine atom; R3, R4, R5 and R6 are a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, at least one of which is a fluorine atom; and R7 is a protecting group released by an acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kishimura, Masayuki Endo, Masaru Sasago, Masamitsu Shirai, Masahiro Tsunooka
  • Photosensitive polyimide precursor compositions
    Patent number: 6511789
    Abstract: Reducing inhibition of the photochemical crosslinking by including in the photosensitive polyimide precursor composition a metal inhibitor selected from 1H-tetrazole, 1,2-cyclohexenediamine tetraacetic acid hydrate and 5-mercaptobenzimidazole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Arch Specialty Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad Naiini, Donald Racicot, Andrew J. Roza, William D. Weber, Pamela J. Waterson
  • Negative resist composition
    Patent number: 6511783
    Abstract: A chemical amplification system negative resist composition for an electron beam and/or an X-ray, which is excellent in sensitivity and resolution and has a rectangular profile, comprising an alkali-soluble resin, a radiation-sensitive acid generator and a crosslinking agent which initiates crosslinking by an acid, in which the crosslinking agent is a phenol derivative having 3 to 5 benzene ring atomic groups in a molecule, having a molecular weight of 1,200 or less, and having two or more hydroxymethyl and/or alkoxymethyl groups in all in the molecule, the groups being combined with at least any of the benzene ring atomic groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Uenishi
  • Multilayer photoresist process in photolithography
    Patent number: 6509137
    Abstract: A multilayer photoresist process in photolithography, which is applicable on a substrate having a composite photoresist layer with a desired thickness formed thereon. The present invention provides a process, comprising the following steps. A photoresist layer is formed on a substrate, and subsequently exposed through a photomask, followed by the developing process to pattern the photoresist. Then, the patterned photoresist layer is stabilized. This sequence is repeated untill at least another one layer is deposited and patterned on the substrate. Each photoresist layer has almost the same pattern with the underlying patterned photoresist layer. Many thin photoresist layers are accumulated to form a composite photoresist layer with a desired thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Li-Ming Wang, Kao-Tsair Tsai
  • Photopolymerizable composition
    Patent number: 6506540
    Abstract: A photopolymerizable composition comprising (A) a polymer binder, (B) a photopolymerizable monomer and (C) a photopolymerization initiator, wherein the component (B) is at least one compound represented by the following formula (1):
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kumazawa, Shinichiro Ishino, Hiroyuki Obiya, Kenji Tazawa
  • Negative resist composition, method for the formation of resist patterns and process for the production of electronic devices
    Patent number: 6506534
    Abstract: The negative resist composition comprises (1) a film-forming polymer which is itself soluble in basic aqueous solutions, and contains a first monomer unit with an alkali-soluble group in the molecule and a second monomer unit with an alcohol structure on the side chain which is capable of reacting with the alkali-soluble group, and (2) a photo acid generator which, when decomposed by absorption of imaage-forming radiation, is capable of generating an acid that can induce reaction between the alcohol structure of the second monomer unit and the alkali-soluble group of the first monomer unit, or protect the alkali-soluble group of the first monomer unit. The resist composition can form intricate negative resist patterns with practical sensitivity and no swelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Koji Nozaki, Takahisa Namiki, Ei Yano, Junichi Kon, Miwa Kozawa
  • Radiation-sensitive resin composition
    Patent number: 6506537
    Abstract: A positive-type radiation-sensitive resin composition is provided. The composition includes: (A) a low-molecular compound comprising a compound having at least one amino group having one or two hydrogen atom(s) bonded to the nitrogen atom; at least one hydrogen atom the amino group has having been substituted with a t-butoxycarbonyl group; (B) a radiation-sensitive acid generator; and (C) a silicon-atom-containing resin comprising an alkali-insoluble or alkali-slightly-soluble resin having been protected with an acid-cleavable group; the resin being capable of turning soluble in alkali upon cleavage of the acid-cleavable group. This radiation-sensitive resin composition is effectively responsive to radiations of various types, has superior sensitivity and resolution and also a superior long-term storage stability, and is useful as a positive-type chemically amplified resist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Kobayashi, Jun Numata, Mikio Yamachika, Masafumi Yamamoto
  • Antireflective composition
    Patent number: 6503689
    Abstract: Disclosed are new antireflective compositions including cross-linked polymeric particles including one or more chromophores. Also disclosed are methods of forming relief images using these antireflective compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Anthony Zampini, Manuel Docanto, Robert H. Gore