Abstract: A solid semiconductor composition includes a solid matrix of organic semiconductor molecules and a dispersion of nanorods or nanotubes in the matrix. The nanorods or nanotubes do not form a percolating structure that spans the composition.

Abstract: A process for forming a polymer template includes exposing a photoresist having polymer molecules to a light pattern and baking the photoresist to chemically react polymer molecules in portions of the photoresist that were exposed to light of the light pattern. The reacted polymer molecules have a different solubility in a solvent than chemically unreacted polymer molecules. The process also includes washing the baked photoresist with the solvent to produce a porous structure by selectively solvating one of the reacted polymer molecules and the unreacted polymer molecules. The porous structure can be used as template for forming porous structures of high refractive index materials.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an integrated semiconductor device with a low dielectric constant material and an integrated semiconductor device with the low dielectric constant material interposed between two conductors is disclosed. The low dielectric constant material has a dielectric constant of less than about 2.8. The low dielectric constant material is a porous glass material with an average pore size of less than about 10 nm. The low dielectric constant material is formed on a semiconductor substrate with circuit lines thereover by combining an uncured and unmodified glass resin with an amphiphilic block copolymer. The amphiphilic block copolymer is miscible in the uncured glass resin. The mixture is applied onto the semiconductor substrate and the glass resin is cured. The glass resin is further processed to decompose or otherwise remove residual block copolymer from the cured glass resin.

Abstract: Techniques for producing a glass structure having interconnected macroscopic pores, employing steps of filling polymerizable glass precursors into pores in a polymeric structure having interconnected macroscopic pores; polymerizing the precursors; and decomposing the polymers to produce a glass oxide structure having interconnected macroscopic pores. Further techniques employ steps of exposing portions of a photosensitive medium including glass precursors to an optical interference pattern; polymerizing or photodeprotecting the exposed portions and removing unpolymerized or deprotected portions; and decomposing the polymerized or deprotected portions to produce a glass structure having interconnected macroscopic pores. Techniques for filling pores of such glass structure with a material having a high refractive index, and for then removing the glass structure.

Abstract: A process for forming a polymer template includes exposing a photoresist having polymer molecules to a light pattern and baking the photoresist to chemically react polymer molecules in portions of the photoresist that were exposed to light of the light pattern. The reacted polymer molecules have a different solubility in a solvent than chemically unreacted polymer molecules. The process also includes washing the baked photoresist with the solvent to produce a porous structure by selectively solvating one of the reacted polymer molecules and the unreacted polymer molecules. The porous structure can be used as template for forming porous structures of high refractive index materials.

Abstract: A tunable microlens uses a layer of photo-conducting material which results in a voltage differential between at least one of a plurality of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid when a light beam is incident upon the photo-conducting material. Such droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. Thus, for example, when the light beam is misaligned with the microlens, the voltage differential causes the droplet, and hence the microlens, to realign itself with the beam.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an integrated semiconductor device with a low dielectric constant material and an integrated semiconductor device with the low dielectric constant material interposed between two conductors is disclosed. The low dielectric constant material has a dielectric constant of less than about 2.8. The low dielectric constant material is a porous glass material with an average pore size of less than about 10 nm. The low dielectric constant material is formed on a semiconductor substrate with circuit lines thereover by combining an uncured and unmodified glass resin with an amphiphilic block copolymer. The amphiphilic block copolymer is miscible in the uncured glass resin. The mixture is applied onto the semiconductor substrate and the glass resin is cured. The glass resin is further processed to decompose or otherwise remove residual block copolymer from the cured glass resin.

Abstract: A tunable microlens uses a layer of photo-conducting material which results in a voltage differential between at least one of a plurality of electrodes and a droplet of conducting liquid when a light beam is incident upon the photo-conducting material. Such a droplet, which forms the optics of the microlens, moves toward an electrode with a higher voltage relative to other electrodes in the microlens. In one embodiment, when a misalignment of the beam and microlens occurs, an electronic circuit creates the aforementioned differential. In a second embodiment, two layers of electrodes are used, an upper layer and a lower layer. Each electrode in a lower layer of electrodes is electrically coupled to an electrode in the upper layer directly opposed to the lower-layer electrode. When the light beam is misaligned with the microlens, a voltage differential between the droplet and the electrodes in the upper layer automatically causes the droplet, and hence the microlens, to realign itself with the beam.

Abstract: A process for device fabrication and resist materials that are used in the process are disclosed. The resist material contains a polymer in combination with a dissolution inhibitor and a photoacid generator (PAG). The dissolution inhibitor is the condensation reaction product of a saturated polycyclic hydrocarbon compound with at least one hydroxy (OH) substituent and a difunctional saturated linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon compound wherein the functional groups are either carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid chloride groups. The condensation product has at least two polycylic moieties. The polymer optionally has acid labile groups pendant thereto which significantly decrease the solubility of the polymer in a solution of aqueous base. A film of the resist material is formed on a substrate and exposed to delineating radiation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for device fabrication and resist materials that are used in the process. The resist material contains a polymer that is the polymerization product of a monomer that contains alicyclic moieties and at least one other monomer. The polymer is formed by free radical polymerization, and the resulting polymer either has alicyclic moieties incorporated into the polymer backbone or pendant to the polymer backbone via saturated hydrocarbon linkages. Other monomers are selected for polymerization with the alicyclic moiety-containing monomer on the basis of the ability of the monomer to copolymerize by free radical polymerization.

Abstract: A lithographic process for fabricating a device is disclosed. An area of radiation sensitive material is formed on a substrate. The radiation sensitive material contains a polymeric component The polymeric component is the copolymerization product of a maleimide monomer and at least two other monomers. Acid labile groups are pendant to one of the monomers with which the maleimide monomer is copolymerized. The acid labile groups are pendant to less than 50 mole percent of the monomers that make up the copolymer. The acid labile groups are not pendant to the maleimide monomer.The radiation sensitive material is patternwise exposed to radiation after it is formed on the substrate. The patternwise exposure transfers an image into the radiation sensitive material. The image is developed into a pattern in the radiation sensitive material. The pattern is then transferred into the substrate.

Abstract: It has been found that surface reactions with basic materials such as amines found in the processing environment during lithographic processing contribute to a loss of linewidth control for resists such as chemically amplified resists. This loss in linewidth results from the reaction of the acid generated by exposing radiation with, for example, the amine resulting in a lack of chemical reaction where such reaction is desired. The problem is solved in one embodiment by employing an acid containing barrier layer on the resist.

Abstract: Polymers suitable for chemically amplified resists based on styrene chemistry are advantageously formed with a meta substituent on the phenyl ring of the styrene moiety. Additionally, polymers for such applications including, but not limited to, meta substituted polymers are advantageously formed by reacting a first monomer having a first protective group with a second monomer having a second protective group. After polymerization, the second protective group is removed without substantially affecting the first protective group. For example, if the first protective group is an alkoxy carbonyl group, and the second protective group is a silyl ether group, treatment with a lower alcohol with trace amounts of acid transforms the silyl group into an OH-moiety without affecting the alkoxy carbonyl group.

Abstract: A class of resist compositions sensitive to deep ultraviolet radiation includes a resin sensitive to acid and a composition that generates acid upon exposure to such radiation. A group of nitrobenzyl materials is particularly suitable for use as the acid generator.

Abstract: A class of resist compositions sensitive to deep ultraviolet radiation includes a resin sensitive to acid and a composition that generates acid upon exposure to such radiation. A group of nitrobenzyl materials is particularly suitable for use as the acid generator.

Abstract: Sensitive deep ultraviolet resists are formed utilizing a material that undergoes decomposition to form an acid together with a polymer including a chain scission inducing monomer such as sulfonyl units and substituent that undergoes reaction to form an acidic moiety when subjected to the photogenerated species. An exemplary composition includes poly(t-butoxycarbonyloxystyrenesulfone) and 2,6-dinitrobenzyl-p-toluene sulfonate. The sulfonate decomposes to form sulfonic acid upon irradiation. This acid reacts with the polymer group to form an acid functionality while the sulfone moiety of the polymer induces scission. As a result, the irradiated portions of the resist material are soluble in ionic solvents while the unirradiated portions are not.

Abstract: Polymers formed from monomers such as chloromethyl styrene and trimethylsilylmethyl methacrylate form negative-acting resists that are sensitive to exposure by electron beam and deep UV radiation. These materials are particularly useful in bilevel resist applications for fabricating masks or for device processing.

Abstract: Photosensitive bodies that are sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and that exhibit excellent contrast are formed from base soluble polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) physically mixed with base insoluble materials such as o,o'-dinitrobenzyl esters. The base insoluble esters decompose upon irradiation to form base soluble entities in the irradiated regions. These irradiated portions are then soluble in basic solutions that are used to develop the desired image.

Abstract: Photosensitive bodies that are sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and that exhibit excellent contrast are formed from base soluble polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) physically mixed with base insoluble materials such as o,o'-dinitrobenzyl esters. The base insoluble esters decompose upon irradiation to form base soluble entities in the irradiated regions. These irradiated portions are then soluble in basic solutions that are used to develop the desired image.

Abstract: Excellent resolution in the lithographic fabrication of electronic devices is achieved with a specific bilevel resist. This bilevel resist includes an underlying layer formed with a conventional material such as a novolac resist baked at 200.degree. C. for 30 minutes and an overlying layer including a silicon containing material such as that formed by the condensation of formaldehyde with a silicon-substituted phenol. This bilevel resist has the attributes of a trilevel resist and requires significantly less processing.