Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bump structure includes forming a passivation layer over a substrate. A metal pad structure is formed over the substrate, wherein the passivation layer surrounds the metal pad structure. A polyimide layer including a polyimide is formed over the passivation layer and the metal pad structure. A metal bump is formed over the metal pad structure and the polyimide layer. The polyimide is a reaction product of a dianhydride and a diamine, wherein at least one of the dianhydride and the diamine comprises one selected from the group consisting of a cycloalkane, a fused ring, a bicycloalkane, a tricycloalkane, a bicycloalkene, a tricycloalkene, a spiroalkane, and a heterocyclic ring.

Abstract: Photoresist materials described herein may include various types of tin (Sn) clusters having one or more types of ligands. As an example, a photoresist material described herein may include tin clusters bearing two or more different types of carboxylate ligands. As another example, a photoresist material described herein may include tin oxide clusters that include carbonate ligands. The two or more different types of carboxylate ligands and the carbonate ligands may reduce, minimize, and/or prevent crystallization of the photoresist materials described herein, which may increase the coating performance of the photoresist materials and may decrease the surface roughness of photoresist layers formed using the photoresist materials described herein.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprises a polymer having a main chain and pendant photobase generator (PBG) groups, pendant thermal base generator (TBG) groups, or a combination of pendant PBG and pendant TBG groups.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, including combining a first precursor and a second precursor in a vapor state to form a photoresist material, and depositing the photoresist material over the substrate. A protective layer is formed over the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation through the protective layer to form a latent pattern in the photoresist layer. The protective layer is removed, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, including combining a first precursor and a second precursor in a vapor state to form a photoresist material, and depositing the photoresist material over the substrate. A protective layer is formed over the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation through the protective layer to form a latent pattern in the photoresist layer. The protective layer is removed, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming a multilayer photoresist structure including a metal-containing photoresist over a substrate. The multilayer photoresist structure includes two or more metal-containing photoresist layers having different physical parameters. The metal-containing photoresist is a reaction product of a first precursor and a second precursor, and each layer of the multilayer photoresist structure is formed using different photoresist layer formation parameters. The different photoresist layer formation parameters are one or more selected from the group consisting of the first precursor, an amount of the first precursor, the second precursor, an amount of the second precursor, a length of time each photoresist layer formation operation, and heating conditions of the photoresist layers.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern in a photoresist layer includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, and reducing moisture or oxygen absorption characteristics of the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming a multilayer photoresist structure including a metal-containing photoresist over a substrate. The multilayer photoresist structure includes two or more metal-containing photoresist layers having different physical parameters. The metal-containing photoresist is a reaction product of a first precursor and a second precursor, and each layer of the multilayer photoresist structure is formed using different photoresist layer formation parameters. The different photoresist layer formation parameters are one or more selected from the group consisting of the first precursor, an amount of the first precursor, the second precursor, an amount of the second precursor, a length of time each photoresist layer formation operation, and heating conditions of the photoresist layers.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern in a photoresist includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, and selectively exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern. The latent pattern is developed by applying a developer composition to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern. The developer composition includes a first solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of 15<?d<25, 10<?p<25, and 6<?h<30; an acid having an acid dissociation constant, pKa, of ?15<pKa<5, or a base having a pKa of 40>pKa>9.5; and a second solvent having a dielectric constant greater than 18. The first solvent and the second solvent are different solvents.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern in a photoresist layer includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, and reducing moisture or oxygen absorption characteristics of the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern, and the latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern in a photoresist includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate, and selectively exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern. The latent pattern is developed by applying a developer composition to the selectively exposed photoresist layer to form a pattern. The developer composition includes a first solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of 15<?d<25, 10<?p<25, and 6<?h<30; an acid having an acid dissociation constant, pKa, of ?15<pKa<5, or a base having a pKa of 40>pKa>9.5; and a second solvent having a dielectric constant greater than 18. The first solvent and the second solvent are different solvents.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate. A first precursor and a second precursor are combined. The first precursor is an organometallic having a formula: MaRbXc, where M is one or more of Sn, Bi, Sb, In, and Te, R is one or more of a C7-C11 aralkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, a C2-C10 alkoxy group, and a C2-C10 alkylamino group, X is one or more of a halogen, a sulfonate group, and an alkylamino group, and 1?a?2, b?1, c?1, and b+c?4, and the second precursor is one or more of water, an amine, a borane, and a phosphine. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern. The latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method for reducing resist consumption (RRC) is provided. The method includes treating a surface of a substrate using a RRC composition and forming a photoresist layer comprising a metal-containing material on the RRC composition treated surface. The RRC composition includes a solvent and an acid or a base. The solvent has a dispersion parameter between 10 and 25. The acid has an acid dissociation constant between -20 and 6.8. The base having an acid dissociation constant between 7.2 and 45.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bump structure includes forming a passivation layer over a substrate. A metal pad structure is formed over the substrate, wherein the passivation layer surrounds the metal pad structure. A polyimide layer including a polyimide is formed over the passivation layer and the metal pad structure. A metal bump is formed over the metal pad structure and the polyimide layer. The polyimide is a reaction product of a dianhydride and a diamine, wherein at least one of the dianhydride and the diamine comprises one selected from the group consisting of a cycloalkane, a fused ring, a bicycloalkane, a tricycloalkane, a bicycloalkene, a tricycloalkene, a spiroalkane, and a heterocyclic ring.

Abstract: Photoresist materials described herein may include various types of tin (Sn) clusters having one or more types of ligands. As an example, a photoresist material described herein may include tin clusters bearing two or more different types of carboxylate ligands. As another example, a photoresist material described herein may include tin oxide clusters that include carbonate ligands. The two or more different types of carboxylate ligands and the carbonate ligands may reduce, minimize, and/or prevent crystallization of the photoresist materials described herein, which may increase the coating performance of the photoresist materials and may decrease the surface roughness of photoresist layers formed using the photoresist materials described herein.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bump structure includes forming a passivation layer over a substrate. A metal pad structure is formed over the substrate, wherein the passivation layer surrounds the metal pad structure. A polyimide layer including a polyimide is formed over the passivation layer and the metal pad structure. A metal bump is formed over the metal pad structure and the polyimide layer. The polyimide is a reaction product of a dianhydride and a diamine, wherein at least one of the dianhydride and the diamine comprises one selected from the group consisting of a cycloalkane, a fused ring, a bicycloalkane, a tricycloalkane, a bicycloalkene, a tricycloalkene, a spiroalkane, and a heterocyclic ring.

Abstract: A lithography method is described. The method includes forming a resist layer over a substrate, performing a treatment on the resist layer to form an upper portion of the resist layer having a first molecular weight and a lower portion of the resist layer having a second molecular weight less than the first molecular weight, performing an exposure process on the resist layer, and performing a developing process on the resist layer to form a patterned resist layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a resist underlayer over a substrate. The resist underlayer includes an underlayer composition, including: a polymer with pendant photoacid generator (PAG) groups, pendant thermal acid generator (TAG) groups, a combination of pendant PAG and pendant TAG groups, pendant photobase generator (PBG) groups, pendant thermal base generator (TBG) groups, or a combination of pendant PBG and pendant TBG groups. A photoresist layer including a photoresist composition is formed over the resist underlayer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation. The selectively exposed photoresist layer is developed to form a pattern in the photoresist layer.

Abstract: Methods for performing a lithography process are provided. The method for performing a lithography process includes forming a resist layer over a substrate and exposing a portion of the resist layer to form an exposed portion between unexposed portions. The method for performing a lithography process further includes developing the resist layer to remove the exposed portion of the resist layer such that an opening is formed between the unexposed portions and forming a post treatment coating material in the opening and over the unexposed portions of the resist layer. The method for performing a lithography process further includes reacting a portion of the unexposed portions of the resist layer with the post treatment coating material by performing a post treatment process and removing the post treatment coating material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate and forming a dehydrated film over the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form an exposed portion and an unexposed portion of the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is developed to remove the unexposed portion of the photoresist layer and a first portion of the dehydrated film over the unexposed portion of the photoresist layer. In an embodiment, the method includes etching the substrate by using the exposed portion of the photoresist layer as a mask.