Abstract: A polymer for hard mask and a composition containing the same, which may be useful in the manufacture of next generation semiconductor devices. When an underlying layer pattern of a semiconductor device, using a polyamic acid having a strong heat resistance, a polyamic acid film is formed by a spin-coating method and an additional thermal process and used as a hard mask, thereby facilitating etching of fine patterns.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern of a semiconductor device using an immersion lithography process includes pretreating a top portion of the photoresist film with an alkane solvent or alcohol in the immersion lithography process to form a uniform over-coating film.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a top anti-reflective coating polymer and its composition comprising the same represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1 and R2 are independently, hydrogen, methyl or fluoromethyl; R3 and R4 are independently, a C1-10hydrocarbon or a C1-10 hydrocarbon in which the hydrogen atoms are wholly or partly replaced by fluorine atoms; and a, b, c, d and e represent the mole fraction of each monomer and are in the range between about 0.05 and about 0.9, such that the sum of a, b, c, d, and e equals one.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composition for an organic bottom anti-reflective coating able to improve the uniformity of a photoresist pattern with respect to an ultra-fine pattern formation process among processes for manufacturing semiconductor device, which prevents scattered reflection from the bottom film layer and eliminating the standing wave effect due to alteration of the thickness of the photoresist film itself resulting in increase of uniformity of the photoresist pattern. The composition for organic bottom anti-reflective coating is able to reduce amount of polyvinylphenol by introducing a specific light absorbent agent having an etching velocity higher than of the polyvinylphenol, thus notably improving the etching velocity for the organic anti-reflective coating by about 1.5 times, so that and the present composition prevents over-etching of the photoresist to make it possible to conduct a smooth etching process for a layer to be etched.

Abstract: Photoresist polymers and photoresist compositions containing the same. Photoresist patterns of less than 50 nm are achieved with EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) as an exposure light source with photoresist compositions comprising (i) a photoresist polymer comprising a polymerization repeating unit of Formula 2 or (ii) a photoresist polymer comprising a polymerization repeating unit of Formula 3 with polyvinylphenol. As a result, excellent etching resistance can be secured although the photoresist patterns have a very small thickness. wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, a, b, c, d, e, f and g are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fine pattern of a semiconductor device comprising: forming hard mask patterns having a thickness of t1 over an underlying layer; forming a light penetrable thin film having a thickness of t2 over the hard mask pattern; forming a light absorbable thin film over light penetrable thin film; performing an exposure process on the resulting structure without use of an exposure mask while controlling an amount of exposure energy such that an exposure light reaches a depth T measured from a top surface of the light penetrable thin film to a top surface of the underlying layer such that t2<T?t1+t2; performing a developing process on the resulting structure to form an organic mask pattern between the hard mask patterns; and etching the underlying layer using the hard mask pattern and the organic mask pattern as an etching mask to form an underlying layer pattern.

Abstract: A method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device includes forming a first photoresist film pattern over a semiconductor substrate including an underlying layer, exposing the first photoresist film pattern to generate an acid from the first photoresist film pattern, bleaching the first photoresist film pattern, and forming a second photoresist film pattern between the first photoresist patterns.

Abstract: A method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist pattern over a semiconductor substrate including an underlying layer. A cross-linking layer is formed on the sidewall of the photoresist pattern. The photoresist pattern is then removed to form a fine pattern comprising the cross-linking layer. The underlying layer is etched using the fine pattern as an etching mask. As a result, the underlying layer has a smaller size than a minimum pitch.

Abstract: A method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device includes forming a first photoresist pattern over a semiconductor substrate including an underlying layer. A cross-linking layer is formed on the sidewall of the first photoresist pattern. The first photoresist pattern is removed to form a fine pattern including a silicon polymer. A second photoresist pattern is formed that is coupled to the fine pattern. The underlying layer is etched using the fine pattern and the second photoresist pattern as an etching mask. As a result, the fine pattern has a smaller size than a minimum pitch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for using an amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition. Preferably, the amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition of the present invention comprises an amine contamination-protecting compound. Useful amine contamination-protecting compounds include amine derivatives; amino acid derivatives; amide derivatives; urethane derivatives; urea derivatives; salts thereof; and mixtures thereof. The amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition of the present invention reduces or eliminates problems such as T-topping due to a post exposure delay effect and/or difficulties in forming a fine pattern below 100 nm due to acid diffusion associated with conventional lithography processes involving a photoresist polymer containing an alicyclic main chain using a light source, such as KrF (248 nm), ArF (193 nm), F2 (157 nm), E-beam, ion beam and extremely ultraviolet (EUV).

Abstract: A coating composition containing a coating base resin and a C4-C10 alcohol as a main solvent, and a method for forming a fine contact of a semiconductor device including the steps of preparing the coating composition, forming a photoresist film on a semiconductor substrate having an underlying layer, performing exposure with a contact mask and developing processes to form a photoresist pattern for contact on the photoresist film, and coating the coating composition on the photoresist pattern to form a coating film.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are top anti-reflective coating polymers used in a photolithography process, methods for preparing the anti-reflective coating polymer, and anti-reflective coating compositions comprising the disclosed anti-reflective coating polymers. The top anti-reflective coating polymers are used in immersion lithography for the fabrication of a sub-50 nm semiconductor device. The top anti-reflective coating polymer is represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or a methyl group; and a, b and c represent the mole fraction of each monomer, and are independently in the range between about 0.05 and about 0.9. Because the disclosed top anti-reflective coatings are not soluble in water, they can be used in immersion lithography using water as a medium for the light source. In addition, since the top anti-reflective coatings can reduce the reflectance from an underlayer, the uniformity of CD is improved, thus enabling the formation of ultrafine patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed are a light absorbent agent polymer for organic anti-reflective coating which can prevent diffused light reflection of bottom film layer or substrate and reduce standing waves caused by a variation of thickness of the photoresist itself, thereby, increasing uniformity of the photoresist pattern, in a process for forming ultra-fine patterns of photoresist for photolithography by using 193 nm ArF among processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and its preparation method. Also, the present invention discloses an organic anti-reflective coating composition comprising a light absorbent agent polymer for the organic anti-reflective coating and a pattern formation process using the coating composition.

Abstract: A method for forming fine patterns of a semiconductor device includes forming hard mask patterns over an underlying layer. A first organic film is formed over the hard mask patterns. A second organic film is formed over the first organic film. The second organic film is planarized until the first organic film is exposed. An etch-back process is performed on the first organic film until the underlying layer is exposed. The first organic film and the second organic film are etched to form organic mask patterns including the first organic film and the second organic film. Each organic mask pattern is formed between adjacent hard mask patterns. The underlying layer is etched using the hard mask patterns and the organic mask patterns as an etching mask to form an underlying layer pattern.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photoacid generating polymer represented by Formula 1 below: wherein R1 is a C1-10 hydrocarbon or a C1-10 hydrocarbon in which the hydrogen atoms are wholly or partly replaced by fluorine atoms; R2 is hydrogen or a methyl group; and a, b, c and d represent the mole fraction of each monomer and are in the range between about 0.05 and about 0.9, such that the sum of a, b, c, and d equals one. Since the photoacid generating polymer of Formula 1 is not water-soluble and acts as a photoacid generator, it can be used to prepare a top anti-reflective coating composition for immersion lithography.

Abstract: A method of forming a fine pattern by a tri-layer resist process to overcome a bi-layer resist process is disclosed. When a fine pattern is formed using a silicon photoresist, a gas protection film is coated on a photoresist to prevent exhaustion of silicon gas generated from the photoresist in light examination of high energy. As a result, lens of exposure equipment may be prevented from being contaminated.

Abstract: A method for forming fine patterns of a semiconductor device includes forming hard mask patterns over an underlying layer. A first organic film is formed over the hard mask patterns. A second organic film is formed over the first organic film. The second organic film is planarized until the first organic film is exposed. An etch-back process is performed on the first organic film until the underlying layer is exposed. The first organic film and the second organic film are etched to form organic mask patterns including the first organic film and the second organic film. Each organic mask pattern is formed between adjacent hard mask patterns. The underlying layer is etched using the hard mask patterns and the organic mask patterns as an etching mask to form an underlying layer pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using an immersion lithography process is disclosed. The semiconductor device is manufactured by filtering an air by using an amine removing chemical filter; and applying the filtered air onto a photoresist film formed on a semiconductor substrate (i) after washing the photoresist film with water and before an exposure process or (ii) after washing the photoresist film with water and before a post-baking process. These steps thereby effectively prevent water mark defects.

Abstract: Disclosed are a light absorbent agent polymer for organic anti-reflective coating which can prevent diffused light reflection of bottom film layer or substrate and reduce standing waves caused by a variation of thickness of the photoresist itself, thereby, increasing uniformity of the photoresist pattern, in a process for forming ultra-fine patterns of photoresist for photolithography by using 193 nm ArF among processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and its preparation method. Also, the present invention discloses an organic anti-reflective coating composition comprising a light absorbent agent polymer for the organic anti-reflective coating and a pattern formation process using the coating composition.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a top anti-reflective coating composition which comprises a photoacid generator represented by Formula 1 below. wherein n is between 7 and 25. Since the top anti-reflective coating composition dissolves a portion of a photoacid generator present at the top of an underlying photosensitizer, particularly, upon formation of a top anti-reflective coating, it can prevent the top from being formed into a thick section. Therefore, the use of the anti-reflective coating composition enables the formation of a vertical pattern on a semiconductor device.