Abstract: A resist composition and a method for forming a patterned feature on a substrate. The composition comprises a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, and a photosensitive acid generator. The method includes providing a composition including a photosensitive acid generator and a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, forming a film of the composition on the substrate, patternwise imaging the film, wherein at least one region of the film is exposed to radiation or a beam of particles, resulting in production of an acid catalyst in the exposed region, baking the film, developing the film, resulting in removal of base-soluble exposed regions, wherein a patterned feature from the film remains following the removal.

Abstract: A microelectronic structure, and in particular a semiconductor structure, includes a substrate and a dielectric layer located over the substrate. In addition at least one alignment mark is located interposed between the dielectric layer and the substrate. The at least one alignment mark comprises, or preferably consists essentially of, at least one substantially present element having an atomic number at least 5 greater than a highest atomic number substantially present element within materials surrounding the alignment mark Also included within the microelectronic structure is a dual damascene aperture located within the dielectric layer. The dual damascene aperture may be fabricated using, among other methods, a hybrid lithography method that uses direct write lithography and optical lithography, in conjunction with the at least one alignment mark and an electron beam as an alignment beam.

Abstract: A microelectronic structure, and in particular a semiconductor structure, includes a substrate that includes an alignment mark comprising a substantially present element that has an atomic number at least 5 greater than a highest atomic number substantially present element within the substrate. Alignment to the alignment mark may be effected using an electron beam as an alignment beam with respect to both a direct write exposure and a reticle filtered optical exposure of a mask layer (i.e., photoresist mask layer) located over the alignment mark and the substrate. The electron beam alignment beam may effectively penetrate through other layers, including conductor layers comprising elements having appropriately low atomic number, located interposed between the alignment mark and the mask layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods and structures for forming interconnect patterns in low-k or ultra low-k (i.e., having a dielectric constant ranging from about 1.5 to about 3.5) interlevel dielectric (ILD) materials. Specifically, reduced lithographic critical dimensions (CDs) (i.e., in comparison with target CDs) are initially used for forming a patterned resist layer with an increased thickness, which in turn allows use of a simple hard mask stack comprising a lower nitride mask layer and an upper oxide mask layer for subsequent pattern transfer. The hard mask stack is next patterned by a first reactive ion etching (RIE) process using an oxygen-containing chemistry to form hard mask openings with restored CDs that are substantially the same as the target CDs. The ILD materials are then patterned by a second RIE process using a nitrogen-containing chemistry to form the interconnect pattern with the target CDs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods and structures for forming interconnect patterns in low-k or ultra low-k (i.e., having a dielectric constant ranging from about 1.5 to about 3.5) interlevel dielectric (ILD) materials. Specifically, reduced lithographic critical dimensions (CDs) (i.e., in comparison with target CDs) are initially used for forming a patterned resist layer with an increased thickness, which in turn allows use of a simple hard mask stack comprising a lower nitride mask layer and an upper oxide mask layer for subsequent pattern transfer. The hard mask stack is next patterned by a first reactive ion etching (RIE) process using an oxygen-containing chemistry to form hard mask openings with restored CDs that are substantially the same as the target CDs. The ILD materials are then patterned by a second RIE process using a nitrogen-containing chemistry to form the interconnect pattern with the target CDs.

Abstract: Non-chemically amplified radiation sensitive resist compositions containing silicon are especially useful for lithographic applications, especially E-beam lithography. More particularly, radiation-sensitive resist compositions comprising a polymer having at least one silicon-containing moiety and at least one radiation-sensitive moiety cleavable upon radiation exposure to form aqueous base soluble moiety can be used to pattern sub-50 nm features with little or no blur.

Abstract: A resist composition and a method for forming a patterned feature on a substrate. The composition comprises a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, and a photosensitive acid generator. The method includes providing a composition including a photosensitive acid generator and a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, forming a film of the composition on the substrate, patternwise imaging the film, wherein at least one region of the film is exposed to radiation or a beam of particles, resulting in production of an acid catalyst in the exposed region, baking the film, developing the film, resulting in removal of base-soluble exposed regions, wherein a patterned feature from the film remains following the removal.

Abstract: A resist composition and a method for forming a patterned feature on a substrate. The composition comprises a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, and a photosensitive acid generator. The method includes providing a composition including a photosensitive acid generator and a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, forming a film of the composition on the substrate, patternwise imaging the film, wherein at least one region of the film is exposed to radiation or a beam of particles, resulting in production of an acid catalyst in the exposed region, baking the film, developing the film, resulting in removal of base-soluble exposed regions, wherein a patterned feature from the film remains following the removal.

Abstract: A microelectronic structure, and in particular a semiconductor structure, includes a substrate that includes an alignment mark comprising a substantially present element that has an atomic number at least 5 greater than a highest atomic number substantially present element within the substrate. Alignment to the alignment mark may be effected using an electron beam as an alignment beam with respect to both a direct write exposure and a reticle filtered optical exposure of a mask layer (i.e., photoresist mask layer) located over the alignment mark and the substrate. The electron beam alignment beam may effectively penetrate through other layers, including conductor layers comprising elements having appropriately low atomic number, located interposed between the alignment mark and the mask layer.

Abstract: A microelectronic structure, and in particular a semiconductor structure, includes a substrate and a dielectric layer located over the substrate. In addition at least one alignment mark is located interposed between the dielectric layer and the substrate. The at least one alignment mark comprises, or preferably consists essentially of, at least one substantially present element having an atomic number at least 5 greater than a highest atomic number substantially present element within materials surrounding the alignment mark Also included within the microelectronic structure is a dual damascene aperture located within the dielectric layer. The dual damascene aperture may be fabricated using, among other methods, a hybrid lithography method that uses direct write lithography and optical lithography, in conjunction with the at least one alignment mark and an electron beam as an alignment beam.

Abstract: A resist composition and a method for forming a patterned feature on a substrate. The composition comprises a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, and a photosensitive acid generator. The method includes providing a composition including a photosensitive acid generator and a molecular glass having at least one fused polycyclic moiety and at least one base soluble functional group protected with an acid labile protecting group, forming a film of the composition on the substrate, patternwise imaging the film, wherein at least one region of the film is exposed to radiation or a beam of particles, resulting in production of an acid catalyst in the exposed region, baking the film, developing the film, resulting in removal of base-soluble exposed regions, wherein a patterned feature from the film remains following the removal.

Abstract: The negative resist compositions especially suitable for electron beam-based lithographic processes are obtained by using a polymeric component containing first silsesquioxane moieties functionalized with a first reactive group having a first crosslinking reactivity and a first dissolution rate in aqueous alkaline solutions, and second silsesquioxane moieties functionalized with a second reactive group having a second crosslinking reactivity and a second dissolution rate in aqueous alkaline solutions, said reactivities being different from one another and said dissolution rates being different from one another. These negative resists enable improved negative lithographic processes, especially in the context of mask-making and direct-write techniques using electron beam lithography. The negative resists are also useful more generally in methods of forming patterned material features and advantageously show reduced incidence of image collapse at smaller groundrules.

Abstract: The negative resist compositions especially suitable for electron beam-based lithographic processes are obtained by using a polymeric component containing first silsesquioxane moieties functionalized with a first reactive group having a first crosslinking reactivity and a first dissolution rate in aqueous alkaline solutions, and second silsesquioxane moieties functionalized with a second reactive group having a second crosslinking reactivity and a second dissolution rate in aqueous alkaline solutions, said reactivities being different from one another and said dissolution rates being different from one another. These negative resists enable improved negative lithographic processes, especially in the context of mask-making and direct-write techniques using electron beam lithography. The negative resists are also useful more generally in methods of forming patterned material features and advantageously show reduced incidence of image collapse at smaller groundrules.

Abstract: A new group of non-chemically amplified negative tone water/aqueous base developable (photo) resists based on redistribution of carbon-oxygen bonds in pendant ester groups of the polymers has been found.

Abstract: A new group of non-chemically amplified negative tone water/aqueous base developable (photo) resists based on redistribution of carbon-oxygen bonds in pendant ester groups of the polymers has been found.

Abstract: A new group of non-chemically amplified negative tone water/aqueous base developable (photo) resists based on redistribution of carbon-oxygen bonds in pendant ester groups of the polymers has been found.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chemically amplified resists and resist systems wherein some of the polar functional groups of the aqueous base soluble polymer or copolymers are protected with a cyclic aliphatic ketal protecting group such as methoxycyclohexanyl. The resists and the resist systems of the present invention containing the new protecting group have improved shelf-life and vacuum stability as compared to the prior art resists. Thus, the resists of the present invention are highly useful in e-beam lithographic applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chemically amplified resists and resist systems wherein some of the polar functional groups of the aqueous base soluble polymer or copolymers are protected with a cyclic aliphatic ketal protecting group such as methoxycyclohexanyl. The resists and the resist systems of the present invention containing the new protecting group have improved shelf-life and vacuum stability as compared to the prior art resists. Thus, the resists of the present invention are highly useful in e-beam lithographic applications.