Abstract: A polymer, a top coating layer, a top coating composition and an immersion lithography process using the same are disclosed. The top coating layer polymer may include a deuterated carboxyl group having a desired acidity such that the top coating layer polymer may be insoluble with water and a photoresist, and soluble in a developer. The polymer may be included in a top coating layer and a top coating composition.

Abstract: A negative resist composition and a patterning method for semiconductor devices using the composition are provided. In one aspect, a negative resist composition comprises an alkali-soluble base polymer having an epoxy ring substituent, a silicon-containing crosslinker having multiple hydroxy groups, and a photoacid generator. In another aspect, a patterning method includes using the negative resist composition in a bi-layer resist process to form fine patterns.

Abstract: A wet-etch composition may include: peracetic acid (PAA); and a fluorinated acid; a relative amount of the PAA in the composition being sufficient to ensure an etch rate of (P-doped-SiGe):(P-doped-Si) that is substantially the same as an etch rate of (N-doped-SiGe):(N-doped-Si). Such a wet-etch composition is hereafter referred to as a PAA-based etchant and can be used to make, e.g., a CMOS MBCFET, an electrode of a capacitor, etc.

Abstract: A cleaning method for removing foreign bodies during the fabrication of semiconductor devices including treating a substrate with a cleaning solution including an oxidizer to form a chemical oxide layer and then removing the chemical oxide layer, thereby removing foreign bodies from a surface of the semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, the foreign bodies can be substantially removed from the surface of the substrate without corroding a metal.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device is provided which includes forming a mold insulating film over first and second portions of a semiconductor substrate, where the mold insulating film includes a plurality of storage node electrode holes spaced apart over the first portion of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes forming a plurality of storage node electrodes on inner surfaces of the storage node electrode holes, respectively, and forming a capping film which covers the storage node electrodes and a first portion of the mold insulating film located over the first portion of the semiconductor substrate, and which exposes a second portion of the mold insulating film located over the second portion of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A polymer, a top coating layer, a top coating composition and an immersion lithography process using the same are provided. The polymer used as a top coating layer covering (or formed on) a photoresist may include a specific chemical structure. The top coating composition may include a solvent and a polymer of having the specific chemical structure. The immersion lithography process includes forming a photoresist layer on a wafer, forming a top coating layer on the photoresist layer, immersing the wafer in water, performing an exposure process on the photoresist layer and forming a photoresist pattern by removing the top coating layer and the photoresist layer with a developer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photosensitive polymer comprising pentafluoromethylvinyl ether derivative monomer having the formula: wherein R may be an alkoxy carbonyl, alkylsilane, a fluorine-substituted or unsubstituted C3–C20 alkyl carbonyl, a fluorine-substituted or unsubstituted C3–C20 cycloalkylcarbonyl or a fluorine-substituted or unsubstituted benzoyl substituent group. The photosensitive polymer is the polymerization product of the pentafluoromethylvinyl ether derivative monomer and at least one additional monomer selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic acid, (meth)acrylate, styrene, norbornene, tetrafluoroethylene and maleic anhydride monomers. The photosensitive polymer may be used in photoresist compositions for exposure light sources having a predominant wavelength of less than 157 nm.

Abstract: Provided are example embodiments of the invention including a range of polymer structures suitable for incorporation in barrier compositions for use, for example, in immersion photolithography in combination with a suitable solvent or solvent system. These polymers exhibit a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 5,000 to 200,000 daltons and may be generally represented by formula I: wherein the expressions (1+m+n)=1; 0.1?(1/(1+m+n))?0.7; 0.3?(m/(1+m+n))?0.9; and 0.0?(n/(1+m+n))?0.6 are satisfied; R1, R2 and R3 are C1 to C5 alkyl, C1 to C5 alkoxy and hydroxyl groups; and Z represents an alkene that includes at least one hydrophilic group. Barrier coating compositions will include an organic solvent or solvent system selected from C3 to C10 alcohol-based organic solvents, C4 to C12 alkane-based organic solvents and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Provided are a barrier coating composition and a method of forming photoresist pattern by an immersion photolithography process using the same. The barrier coating composition includes a polymer corresponding to formula I having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 5,000 to 100,000 daltons and an organic solvent, wherein the expressions 1+m+n=1;0.1?1/(l+m+n)?0.7; 0.3?m/(l+m+n)?0.9; and 0.0?n/(1+m+n)?0.6 are satisfied; Rf is a C1 to C5 fluorine-substituted hydrocarbon group; and Z, if present, includes at least one hydrophilic group. Compositions according to the invention may be used to form barrier layers on photoresist layers to suppress dissolution of photoresist components during immersion photolithography while allowing the barrier layer to be removed by alkaline developing solutions.

Abstract: A coating composition for forming etch mask patterns may include a polymer and an organic solvent. The polymer may have an aromatic ring substituted by a vinyl ether functional group. The polymer may be, for example, a Novolak resin partially substituted by a vinyl ether functional group or poly(hydroxystyrene) partially substituted by a vinyl ether functional group.

Abstract: Provided are barrier polymers, barrier coating compositions incorporating such polymers and methods for utilizing such barrier coating compositions for suppressing dissolution of photoresist components during immersion photolithography. The barrier polymers may be synthesized from one or more monomers including at least one monomer having a tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl group and will have a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 5,000 to 200,000 daltons. The barrier polymer(s) may be combined with one or more organic solvents to form a barrier coating composition that can be applied to a photoresist layer to form a barrier coating layer sufficient to suppress dissolution of components such as PAG into an immersion liquid during exposure processing. The tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl group monomer(s) may be combined with other monomers, particularly monomers including a polar group, for modifying the hydrophobicity and/or solubility of the resulting barrier coating layer in, for example, a developing solution.

Abstract: A wet-etch composition may include: peracetic acid (PAA); and a fluorinated acid; a relative amount of the PAA in the composition being sufficient to ensure an etch rate of (P-doped-SiGe):(P-doped-Si) that is substantially the same as an etch rate of (N-doped-SiGe):(N-doped-Si). Such a wet-etch composition is hereafter referred to as a PAA-based etchant and can be used to make, e.g., a CMOS MBCFET, an electrode of a capacitor, etc.

Abstract: Provided is a method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device by controlling the amount of flow of a resist pattern, including forming a resist pattern having a predetermined pattern distance on a material layer to be etched, forming a flow control barrier layer on the resist pattern to control the amount of flow during a subsequent resist flow process and to make the profile of the flowed pattern be vertical, optionally forming the flow control barrier layer by coating a material including a water-soluble high-molecular material and a crosslinking agent on the resist pattern, mixing and baking the coated material layer, and processing the resultant structure using deionized water, carrying out the flow resist process to form a hyperfine pattern and etching the lower material layer, and thereby forming fine patterns having the shape of contact holes or lines and spaces to have a critical dimension of about 100 nm or less, even with use of a KrF resist.

Abstract: A phase change memory device and a method of operating the same are provided. The phase change memory device may include a plurality of unit cells arranged in a matrix composed of rows and columns; a plurality of program bit lines and read bit lines arranged in rows, each of the program and read bit lines having a row selection transistor formed at one end thereof; and a plurality of program word lines and read word lines arranged in columns, each of the program and read word lines having a column selection transistor formed at one end thereof. Each of the unit cells may include a phase change resistor and an exothermal resistor used to heat the phase change resistor.

Abstract: A cleaning method for removing foreign bodies during the fabrication of semiconductor devices including treating a substrate with a cleaning solution including an oxidizer to form a chemical oxide layer and then removing the chemical oxide layer, thereby removing foreign bodies from a surface of the semiconductor substrate. Accordingly, the foreign bodies can be substantially removed from the surface of the substrate without corroding a metal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing nano wires and nano wires having a p-n junction structure. The method includes: stacking a mask layer on a substrate; patterning the mask layer into stripes; and performing an oxygen ion injection process on the substrate and the mask layer to form oxygen ion injection regions in the substrate, thereby forming nano wire regions embedded in the substrate and separated from the substrate by the oxygen ion injection regions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a flash memory having a U-shape floating gate is provided. The method includes forming adjacent isolation layers separated by a gap and forming a tunnel oxide layer in the gap. After a conductive layer is formed on the tunnel oxide layer to a thickness not to fill the gap, a polishing sacrificial layer is formed on the conductive layer. The sacrificial layer and the conductive layer on the isolation layers are removed, thereby forming a U-shape floating gate self-aligned in the gap, and concurrently forming a sacrificial layer pattern within an inner portion of the floating gate. Selected isolation layers are then recessed to expose sidewalls of the floating gate. The sacrificial layer pattern is then removed from the floating gate to expose an upper surface of the floating gate.

Abstract: A polymer used for a negative type resist composition having a first repeating unit of a Si-containing monomer unit, a second repeating unit having a hydroxy group or an epoxy ring and copolymerized with the first repeating unit is provided. The first repeating unit is represented by the following formula: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, X is a C1–C4 alkyl or alkoxy group, and n is an integer from 2 to 4. Also, there is provided a negative type resist composition including the polymer which is an alkali soluble base polymer, a photoacid generator and a crosslinking agent cross linkable in the presence of an acid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a polysilicon layer as an etching mask includes: (a) forming an interlayer dielectric over a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a polysilicon layer pattern over the interlayer dielectric; (c) forming a contact hole in the interlayer dielectric by etching the interlayer dielectric using the polysilicon layer pattern as an etching mask; (d) removing the polysilicon layer pattern by an etching process that has a large etching selectivity of the polisilicon layer with respect to the interlayer dielectric and about 3% or less etching uniformity; and (e) forming a contact by filling the contact hole with a conductive material.

Abstract: A cleaning solution includes acetic acid, an inorganic acid, a fluoride compound, and deionized water, and may further include a corrosion inhibitor, a chelating agent, or a combination thereof. The cleaning solution may be used in the formation of a metal pattern in which a metal film including ruthenium is formed on a surface of a substrate, and a portion of the metal film is dry-etched to form a metal film pattern. After dry-etching, the metal film pattern is cleaned with the cleaning solution to remove an etching by-product layer around the metal film pattern. The cleaning solution may also be used to remove an etching by-product layer around an oxide film pattern prior to dry-etching of the metal film.