Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes patterning a plurality of photomask layers over a substrate, partially backfilling the patterned plurality of photomask layers with a first material using atomic layer deposition, completely backfilling the patterned plurality of photomask layers with a second material using atomic layer deposition, removing the plurality of photomask layers to form a masking structure comprising at least one of the first and second materials, and transferring a pattern formed by the masking structure to the substrate and removing the masking structure. The first material includes a silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, or carbon material, and the second material includes a metal oxide or metal nitride material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer including a photoresist composition over a substrate. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist. The photoresist composition includes a photoactive compound and a resin comprising a radical-active functional group and an acid labile group.

Abstract: A method includes illuminating radiation to a resist layer over a substrate to pattern the resist layer. The patterned resist layer is developed by using a positive tone developer. The patterned resist layer is rinsed using a basic aqueous rinse solution. A pH value of the basic aqueous rinse solution is lower than a pH value of the developer, and a rinse temperature of rinsing the patterned resist layer is in a range of about 20° C. to about 40° C.

Abstract: A method for semiconductor manufacturing includes providing a substrate, forming a patterning layer over the substrate, and patterning the patterning layer to form a hole in the patterning layer. The method also includes applying a first directional etching to two inner sidewalls of the hole to expand the hole along a first direction and applying a second directional etching to another two inner sidewalls of the hole to expand the hole along a second direction that is different from the first direction.

Abstract: A photoresist layer is formed over a wafer. The photoresist layer includes a metallic photoresist material and one or more additives. An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process is performed using the photoresist layer. The one or more additives include: a solvent having a boiling point greater than about 150 degrees Celsius, a photo acid generator, a photo base generator, a quencher, a photo de-composed base, a thermal acid generator, or a photo sensitivity cross-linker.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides NTD developers and corresponding lithography techniques that can overcome resolution, line edge roughness (LER), and sensitivity (RLS) tradeoff barriers particular to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technologies, thereby achieving high patterning fidelity for advanced technology nodes. An exemplary lithography method includes forming a negative tone resist layer over a workpiece; exposing the negative tone resist layer to EUV radiation; and removing an unexposed portion of the negative tone resist layer in a negative tone developer, thereby forming a patterned negative tone resist layer. The negative tone developer includes an organic solvent having a log P value greater than 1.82. The organic solvent is an ester acetate derivative represented by R1COOR2. R1 and R2 are hydrocarbon chains having four or less carbon atoms. In some implementations, R1, R2, or both R1 and R2 are propyl functional groups, such as n-propyl, isopropyl, or 2-methylpropyl.

Abstract: A photoresist composition includes a photoactive compound and a polymer. The polymer has a polymer backbone including one or more groups selected from: The polymer backbone includes at least one group selected from B, C-1, or C-2, wherein ALG is an acid labile group, and X is linking group.

Abstract: A method for forming openings in an underlayer includes: forming a photoresist layer on an underlayer formed on a substrate; exposing the photoresist layer; forming photoresist patterns by developing the exposed photoresist layer, the photoresist patterns covering regions of the underlayer in which the openings are to be formed; forming a liquid layer over the photoresist patterns; after forming the liquid layer, performing a baking process so as to convert the liquid layer to an organic layer in a solid form; performing an etching back process to remove a portion of the organic layer on a level above the photoresist patterns; removing the photoresist patterns, so as to expose portions of the underlayer by the remaining portion of the organic layer; forming the openings in the underlayer by using the remaining portion of the organic layer as an etching mask; and removing the remaining portion of the organic layer.

Abstract: Manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming photoresist layer. Photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation and developed to form pattern. Photoresist composition includes: iodine-containing sensitizer, photoactive compound, polymer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes coating an edge portion of a wafer by a first chemical solution including a chemical mixture of an acid-labile group, a solubility control unit and a thermal acid generator; curing the first chemical solution to form a first protecting layer on the edge portion of the wafer; coating a resist layer on a front surface of the wafer; removing the first protecting layer by a first removing solution; and performing an exposing process to the resist layer.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming photoresist layer over substrate. Forming photoresist layer includes combining first precursor and second precursor in vapor state to form photoresist material, wherein first precursor is organometallic having formula: MaRbXc, where M at least one of Sn, Bi, Sb, In, Te, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Co, Mo, W, Al, Ga, Si, Ge, P, As, Y, La, Ce, Lu; R is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, carboxylate group; X is halide or sulfonate group; and 1?a?2, b?1, c?1, and b+c?5. Second precursor is at least one of an amine, a borane, a phosphine. Forming photoresist layer includes depositing photoresist material over the substrate. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form latent pattern, and the latent pattern is developed by applying developer to selectively exposed photoresist layer to form pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, including combining a first precursor and a second precursor in a vapor state to form a photoresist material, and depositing the photoresist material over the substrate. A protective layer is formed over the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation through the protective layer to form a latent pattern in the photoresist layer. The protective layer is removed, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern in a photoresist layer includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, and reducing moisture or oxygen absorption characteristics of the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming a multilayer photoresist structure including a metal-containing photoresist over a substrate. The multilayer photoresist structure includes two or more metal-containing photoresist layers having different physical parameters. The metal-containing photoresist is a reaction product of a first precursor and a second precursor, and each layer of the multilayer photoresist structure is formed using different photoresist layer formation parameters. The different photoresist layer formation parameters are one or more selected from the group consisting of the first precursor, an amount of the first precursor, the second precursor, an amount of the second precursor, a length of time each photoresist layer formation operation, and heating conditions of the photoresist layers.

Abstract: A photoresist composition, comprising: a first polymer having one or more acid labile groups; a second polymer having fluorocarbon pendant groups; and metal oxide nanoparticles. The fluorocarbon pendant groups are attached to a main chain of the second polymer via a linking unit R1 of at least one selected from the group consisting of 1-9 carbon unbranched, branched, cyclic, noncylic, saturated, or unsaturated hydrocarbon with optional halogen substituents; —S—; —P—; —P(O2); —C(?O)S—; —C(?O)O—; —O—; —N—; —C(?O)N—; —SO2O—; —SO2S—; —SO—; —SO2—; and —C(?O)—.

Abstract: A method includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, where the photoresist layer includes a polymer blended with a photo-acid generator (PAG), exposing the photoresist layer to a radiation source, and developing the photoresist layer, resulting in a patterned photoresist layer. The PAG is bonded to one or more polarity-enhancing group (PEG), which is configured to increase a dipole moment of the PAG. The exposing may separate the PAG into a cation and an anion, such that a PEG bonded to the cation and a PEG bonded to the anion each increases a polarity of the cation and the anion, respectively.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a resist layer over a material layer, the resist layer includes an inorganic material. The inorganic material includes a plurality of metallic cores and a plurality of first linkers bonded to the metallic cores. The method includes forming a modified layer over the resist layer, and the modified layer includes an auxiliary. The method includes performing an exposure process on the modified layer and the resist layer, and removing a portion of the modified layer and a first portion of the resist layer by a first developer. The first developer includes a ketone-based solvent having a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C7 cyclic ketone, an ester-based solvent having a formula (b), or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming a photoresist pattern includes forming a protective layer over a photoresist layer formed on a substrate, and selectively exposing the protective layer and the photoresist layer to actinic radiation. The protective layer and the photoresist layer are developed to form a pattern in the photoresist layer, and the protective layer is removed. The protective layer includes a polymer having pendant fluorocarbon groups and pendant acid leaving groups.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a method for lithography patterning. The method includes coating a photoresist layer over a substrate, wherein the photoresist layer includes a first polymer, and a first photo-acid generator (PAG), and a chemical additive mixed in a solvent; performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer; and performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer. The chemical additive has a non-uniform distribution in the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist underlayer including a photoresist underlayer composition over a semiconductor substrate and forming a photoresist layer comprising a photoresist composition over the photoresist underlayer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation, and the photoresist layer is developed to form a pattern in the photoresist layer. The photoresist underlayer composition includes: a first polymer having one or more of pendant acid-labile groups and pendant epoxy groups, a second polymer having one or more crosslinking groups, an acid generator, a quencher or photodecomposable base, and a solvent. The photoresist underlayer composition includes 0 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the quencher or photodecomposable base based on a total weight of the first and second polymers.