Abstract: An improved via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: A via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards contact planarization methods that can be used to planarize substrate surfaces having a wide range of topographic feature densities for lithography applications. These processes use thermally curable, photo-curable, or thermoplastic materials to provide globally planarized surfaces over topographic substrate surfaces for lithography applications. Additional coating(s) with global planarity and uniform thickness can be obtained on the planarized surfaces. These inventive methods can be utilized with single-layer, bilayer, or multi-layer processing involving bottom anti-reflective coatings, photoresists, hardmasks, and other organic and inorganic polymers in an appropriate coating sequence as required by the particular application. More specifically, this invention produces globally planar surfaces for use in dual damascene and bilayer processes with greatly improved photolithography process latitude.

Abstract: Anti-reflective compositions and methods of using those compositions with low dielectric constant materials are provided. In one embodiment, the compositions include polymers comprising recurring monomers having unreacted ring members. In another embodiment, the polymers further comprise recurring monomers comprising ring members reacted with a light attenuating compound so as to open the ring. The compositions can be applied to dielectric layers so as to minimize or prevent reflection during the dual damascene process while simultaneously blocking via or photoresist poisoning which commonly occurs when organic anti-reflective coatings are applied to low dielectric constant layers.

Abstract: Novel processes of applying a thin, uniform, conformal organic polymeric film by a wide variety of deposition processes into lithography pattern substrates are provided. The inventive processes result in shrinking of the gaps in the lithography pattern equally, thus producing a smaller dimension. The amount of pattern shrinkage is selectively controlled by controlling the deposition rate to provide the desired final structure dimension. A wide variety of organic films is used as materials for these films. The inventive methods are applicable to any patterning technique used in lithography to provide a reduction in pattern sizes. Examples of the applicable device levels include the production of gate layers, ion implantation of active device layers and substantive metal layers, dielectric patterning, interconnect processes produced by damascene, dual damascene, backend packaging layers, and devices requiring multiple layers deposited by electrodeposition, CVD or sputtering.

Abstract: An improved via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards planarization materials that produce little or no volatile byproducts during the hardening process when used in contact planarization processes. The materials can be hardened by photo-irradiation or by heat during the planarization process, and they include one or more types of monomers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof, an optional cross-linker, and an optional organic reactive solvents. The solvent, if used, is chemically reacted with the monomers or oligomers and thus becomes part of the polymer matrix during the curing process. These materials can be used for damascene, dual damascene, bi-layer, and multi-layer applications, microelectromechanical system (MEMS), packaging, optical devices, photonics, optoelectronics, microelectronics, and sensor devices fabrication.

Abstract: Novel nonstick molds and methods of forming and using such molds are provided. The molds are formed of a nonstick material such as those selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers, fluorinated siloxane polymers, silicones, and mixtures thereof. The nonstick mold is imprinted with a negative image of a master mold, where the master mold is designed to have a topography pattern corresponding to that desired on the surface of a microelectronic substrate. The nonstick mold is then used to transfer the pattern or image to a flowable film on the substrate surface. This film is subsequently cured or hardened, resulting in the desired pattern ready for further processing.

Abstract: Anti-reflective compositions and methods of using those compositions with low dielectric constant materials are provided. In one embodiment, the compositions include polymers comprising recurring monomers having unreacted epoxide groups. In another embodiment, the polymers further comprise recurring monomers comprising epoxide rings reacted with a light attenuating compound so as to open the ring. The compositions can be applied to dielectric layers so as to minimize or prevent reflection during the dual damascene process while simultaneously blocking via or photoresist poisoning which commonly occurs when organic anti-reflective coatings are applied to low dielectric constant layers.

Abstract: Anti-reflective compositions and methods of using those compositions with low dielectric constant materials are provided. In one embodiment, the compositions include polymers comprising recurring monomers having unreacted epoxide groups. In another embodiment, the polymers further comprise recurring monomers comprising epoxide rings reacted with a light attenuating compound so as to open the ring. The compositions can be applied to dielectric layers so as to minimize or prevent reflection during the dual damascene process while simultaneously blocking via or photoresist poisoning which commonly occurs when organic anti-reflective coatings are applied to low dielectric constant layers.

Abstract: A via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: An improved via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: An improved via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, amides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: An improved via and contact hole fill composition and method for using the composition in the dual damascene production of circuits is provided. Broadly, the fill compositions include a quantity of solid components including a polymer binder and a solvent system for the solid components. The boiling point of the solvent system is less than the cross-linking temperature of the composition. Preferred solvents for use in the solvent system include those selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, glycol ethers, arnides, ketones, and mixtures thereof. Preferred polymer binders are those having an aliphatic backbone and a molecular weight of less than about 80,000, with polyesters being particularly preferred.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating the inner cylindrical wall of a device, such as a bearing, gear, sprocket, coupling, sleeve, or the like, for expanding the cylindrical wall to facilitate the installation of the device on a receiving element includes a source of heated air coupled to an elongated cylindrical air distributor having an outer diameter small than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall. Adjustable supports position and align the air distributor and the device to allow distributor to be inserted into the device with their central axes substantially coaxially aligned so that an annular space is created therebetween into which heated air is communicated from the distributor through a plurality of opening on the distributor. Annular baffles on the distributor close the opposite sides of the annular space while allowing exhaust of sufficient heated air to prevent undesired pressure buildup in the space.

Abstract: Filters suitable for microelectronic uses and the like may be prepared directly on substrates either as monolithically integrated filters or as hybrid filters using a soluble dye material in a resin. The resin may be applied to microelectronic substrates and patterned by conventional microphotolithographic processes.