Abstract: A method of testing the cleanability of polymerized sublimate outgassed from a lithography material during a thermal heating process including; placing a wafer on a wafer hotplate inside a chamber with the wafer being covered by a lithography material; placing a target, having a starting composition, above the wafer in the chamber; heating the wafer using the wafer hotplate in an attempt to outgas a sublimate, where the sublimate condenses on the target; forming a polymerized sublimate on the target; and applying organic solvents to the target to determine the cleanability of the polymerized sublimate.

Abstract: A method of testing the cleanability of polymerized sublimate outgassed from a lithography material during a thermal heating process including; placing a wafer on a wafer hotplate inside a chamber with the wafer being covered by a lithography material; placing a target, having a starting composition, above the wafer in the chamber; heating the wafer using the wafer hotplate in an attempt to outgas a sublimate, where the sublimate condenses on the target; forming a polymerized sublimate on the target; and applying organic solvents to the target to determine the cleanability of the polymerized sublimate.

Abstract: A patterning process includes (1) forming, on a body to be processed on which a titanium-containing hard mask is formed, an organic underlayer film; (2) forming, on the organic underlayer film, a titanium-containing resist underlayer film having a titanium content of 10% to 60% by mass; (3) forming a photoresist film on the titanium-containing resist underlayer film; (4) forming a photoresist pattern by exposing the photoresist film and developing; (5) pattern-transferring onto the titanium-containing resist underlayer film by using the photoresist pattern as a mask; (6) pattern-transferring onto the organic underlayer film by using the titanium-containing resist underlayer film as a mask; and (7) removing the titanium-containing hard mask and the titanium-containing resist underlayer film by wet stripping method. A patterning process including removing a resist underlayer film using a wet stripper having a milder condition than the conventional stripper without causing damage to a body to be processed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for immersion lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and insoluble in water. The inventive composition comprises a polymer having at least one hydrophobic moiety, at least one acidic moiety with a pKa of 1 or less, and at least one aqueous base soluble moiety. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an antireflective coating composition for applying between a substrate surface and a positive photoresist composition. The antireflective coating composition is developable in an aqueous alkaline developer. The antireflective coating composition comprises a polymer, which comprises at least one monomer unit containing one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of a lactone, maleimide, and an N-alkyl maleimide; and at least one monomer unit containing one or more absorbing moieties. The polymer does not comprise an acid labile group. The present invention also discloses a method of forming and transferring a relief image by using the inventive antireflective coating composition in photolithography.

Abstract: A method of forming a patterned material layer on a substrate. A photoresist layer is formed on the substrate followed by an image modifying material formed on the photoresist. The image modifying material is patterned to form an image modifying pattern. The image modifying pattern and underlying photoresist are then exposed to suitable radiation. The image modifying pattern modifies the image intensity within the photoresist layer beneath the image modifying pattern. The resulting pattern is then transferred into the substrate.

Abstract: A top coat material for applying on top of a photoresist material is disclosed. The top coat material includes a polymer, which includes at least one fluorosulfonamide monomer unit having one of the following two structures: wherein: M is a polymerizable backbone moiety; Z is a linking moiety selected from the group consisting of —C(O)O—, —C(O)—, —OC(O)—, and —O—C(O)—C(O)—O—; R1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, an arylene, a semi- or perfluorinated alkylene, and a semi- or perfluorinated arylene; p and q are 0 or 1; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons, and a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons; n is an integer from 1 to 6; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an aryl, a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl, and a semi- or perfluorinated aryl. The top coat material may be used in lithography processes, wherein the top coat material is applied on a photoresist layer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for immersion lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and insoluble in water. The inventive composition comprises a polymer having at least one hydrophobic moiety, at least one acidic moiety with a pKa of 1 or less, and at least one aqueous base soluble moiety. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an antireflective coating composition for applying between a substrate surface and a positive photoresist composition. The antireflective coating composition is developable in an aqueous alkaline developer. The antireflective coating composition comprises a polymer, which comprises at least one monomer unit containing one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of a lactone, maleimide, and an N-alkyl maleimide; and at least one monomer unit containing one or more absorbing moieties. The polymer does not comprise an acid labile group. The present invention also discloses a method of forming and transferring a relief image by using the inventive antireflective coating composition in photolithography.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for immersion lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and insoluble in water. The inventive composition comprises a polymer having at least one hydrophobic moiety, at least one acidic moiety with a pKa of 1 or less, and at least one aqueous base soluble moiety. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an antireflective coating composition for applying between a substrate surface and a positive photoresist composition. The antireflective coating composition is developable in an aqueous alkaline developer. The antireflective coating composition comprises a polymer, which comprises at least one monomer unit containing one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of a lactone, maleimide, and an N-alkyl maleimide; and at least one monomer unit containing one or more absorbing moieties. The polymer does not comprise an acid labile group. The present invention also discloses a method of forming and transferring a relief image by using the inventive antireflective coating composition in photolithography.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring an amount of condensable material which outgas during cure of organic thin films. The apparatus includes a hotplate placed in a chamber having a removeable liner and means for cooling the liner. The method includes: weighing the liner, sequentially placing multiple substrates on said hotplate, and then weighing the liner again.

Abstract: A top coat material for applying on top of a photoresist material is disclosed. The top coat material includes a polymer, which includes at least one fluorosulfonamide monomer unit having one of the following two structures: wherein: M is a polymerizable backbone moiety; Z is a linking moiety selected from the group consisting of —C(O)O—, —C(O)—, —OC(O)—, and —O—C(O)—C(O)—O—; R1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, an arylene, a semi- or perfluorinated alkylene, and a semi- or perfluorinated arylene; p and q are 0 or 1; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons, and a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons; n is an integer from 1 to 6; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an aryl, a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl, and a semi- or perfluorinated aryl. The top coat material may be used in lithography processes, wherein the top coat material is applied on a photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a patterned material layer on a substrate. A photoresist layer is formed on the substrate followed by an image modifying material formed on the photoresist. The image modifying material is patterned to form an image modifying pattern. The image modifying pattern and underlying photoresist are then exposed to suitable radiation. The image modifying pattern modifies the image intensity within the photoresist layer beneath the image modifying pattern. The resulting pattern is then transferred into the substrate.

Abstract: A top coat material for applying on top of a photoresist material is disclosed. The top coat material includes a polymer, which includes at least one fluorosulfonamide monomer unit having one of the following two structures: wherein: M is a polymerizable backbone moiety; Z is a linking moiety selected from the group consisting of —C(O)O—, —C(O)—, —OC(O)—, and —O—C(O)—C(O)—O—; R1 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, an arylene, a semi- or perfluorinated alkylene, and a semi- or perfluorinated arylene; p and q are 0 or 1; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons, and a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons; n is an integer from 1 to 6; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl, an aryl, a semi- or perfluorinated alkyl, and a semi- or perfluorinated aryl. The top coat material may be used in lithography processes, wherein the top coat material is applied on a photoresist layer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for immersion lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and insoluble in water. The inventive composition comprises a polymer having at least one hydrophobic moiety, at least one acidic moiety with a pKa of 1 or less, and at least one aqueous base soluble moiety. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.

Abstract: Compositions suitable for forming planarizing underlayers for multilayer lithographic processes are characterized by the presence of (A) a polymer containing: (i) cyclic ether moieties, (ii) saturated polycyclic moieties, and (iii) aromatic moieties for compositions not requiring a separate crosslinker, or (B) a polymer containing: (i) saturated polycyclic moieties, and (ii) aromatic moieties for compositions requiring a separate crosslinker. The compositions provide outstanding optical, mechanical and etch selectivity properties. The compositions are especially useful in lithographic processes using radiation less than 200 nm in wavelength to configure underlying material layers.

Abstract: Compositions suitable for forming planarizing underlayers for multilayer lithographic processes are characterized by the presence of (A) a polymer containing: (i) cyclic ether moieties, (ii) saturated polycyclic moieties, and (iii) aromatic moieties for compositions not requiring a separate crosslinker, or (B) a polymer containing: (i) saturated polycyclic moieties, and (ii) aromatic moieties for compositions requiring a separate crosslinker. The compositions provide outstanding optical, mechanical and etch selectivity properties. The compositions are especially useful in lithographic processes using radiation less than 200 nm in wavelength to configure underlying material layers.

Abstract: Acid-catalyzed positive resist compositions which are imageable with 193 nm radiation and/or possibly other radiation and are developable to form resist structures of improved development characteristics and improved etch resistance are enabled by the use of resist compositions containing imaging polymer having a monomer with a pendant group containing plural acid labile moieties. Preferred pendant groups containing plural acid labile moieties are characterized by the presence of a bulky end group.

Abstract: The invention provides photoresists and resist preparative methods. Methods of the invention include treatment of a resist resin with methylene chloride or other organic solvent to remove low molecular weight materials. It has been found that the treated resin can be formulated into resists that provide manufactured electronic devices with significantly reduced defects.