Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes depositing a coating composition on a patterned surface of a photoresist layer and curing the coating composition on the patterned photoresist layer. The coating composition includes a block copolymer including a first moiety configured to chemically bond with the patterned surface of the patterned photoresist layer and a second moiety including a mesogenic structure. The mesogenic structure is configured to exhibit liquid crystal properties upon curing the coating composition.

Abstract: A lithography method comprises the following steps. A target layer is formed over a substrate. A photoresist layer is formed over the target layer. The photoresist layer is exposed. The photoresist layer is developed using a first developer such that first photoresist layer has a first pitch. The photoresist layer is developed using a second developer different from the first developer. An organic material is formed over the photoresist layer. The organic material and the photoresist layer are etched.

Abstract: Photosensitive polymers and their use in photoresists for photolithographic processes are disclosed. The polymers are copolymers, with at least one monomer that includes pendant polycyclic aromatic groups and a second monomer that includes an acidic leaving group (ALG). The polymers have high resistance to etching and high development contrast.

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

Abstract: In a pattern formation method, a photoresist layer is formed over a substrate by combining a first precursor and a second precursor in a vapor state to form a photoresist material. The first precursor is an organometallic having a formula MaRbXc, where M is one or more selected from the group consisting of Sn, Bi, Sb, In, and Te, R is an alkyl group that is substituted by different EDG and/or EWG, X is a halide or sulfonate group, and 1?a?2, b?1, c?1, and b+c?4. The second precursor is water, an amine, a borane, and/or a phosphine. The photoresist material is deposited over the substrate, and 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: Photosensitive polymers and their use in photoresists for photolithographic processes are disclosed. The polymers are copolymers, with at least one monomer that includes pendant polycyclic aromatic groups and a second monomer that includes an acidic leaving group (ALG). The polymers have high resistance to etching and high development contrast.

Abstract: A lithography method comprises the following steps. A target layer is formed over a substrate. A photoresist composition is applied over the target layer to form a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is exposed. The photoresist layer is dry developed using an acidic gas having an acidity greater than an acidity of CH3COOH and less than an acidity of HBr. The target layer is etched using the photoresist layer as an etch mask. The photoresist layer is removed.

Abstract: A method of generating a layout pattern includes disposing a photoresist layer of a resist material on a substrate and disposing a top layer over of the photoresist layer. The top layer is transparent for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and the top layer is opaque for deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation. The method further includes irradiating the photoresist layer with radiation generated from an EUV radiation source. The radiation passes through the top layer to expose the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A photoresist developer includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of 15<?d<25, 10<?p<25, and 6<?p<30; an acid having an acid dissociation constant, pKa, of ?15<pKa<4, or a base having a pKa of 40>pKa>9.5; and a chelate.

Abstract: A photoresist developer includes a solvent having Hansen solubility parameters of 15<?d<25, 10<?p<25, and 6<?p<30; an acid having an acid dissociation constant, pKa, of ?15<pKa<4, or a base having a pKa of 40>pKa>9.5; and a chelate.

Abstract: A stacked channel structure includes a first channel structure having a first gate dielectric thereon, an isolation structure over the first channel structure, and a second channel structure over the isolation structure. The second channel structure has a second gate dielectric thereon. A method may include forming a dummy layer that has a top surface below the second channel structure, selectively depositing a hard mask over the second gate dielectric, selectively removing the dummy layer, and selectively removing the hard mask after the dummy layer. Deposition parameters and a composition of the dummy layer are configured to inhibit deposition of the hard mask on the dummy layer. A first gate electrode and a second gate electrode may be formed over the first gate dielectric and the second gate dielectric, respectively. The hard mask may be selectively removed before or after forming the first gate electrode.

Abstract: A low thermal budget dielectric material deposition process is provided. The dielectric material may be deposited using spin-on coating, and treated with a microwave plasma treatment. In some implementations, the dielectric material is used adjacent a contact feature of a CFET device, such as a contact feature providing connection to a source/drain region of a bottom transistor of a CFET device.

Abstract: Methods for forming a stacked transistor device including depositing a dummy material such as by spin-on deposition to process a first transistor differently than a second transistor of the stacked transistor device. Multi-Vt patterning, where different transistors in a stacked device can have different threshold voltages (Vt) can be implemented by depositing a dummy material before patterning to selectively control the Vt of each transistor without affecting the others. In top-bottom FET stacks, by depositing a dummy material, the process can be optimized to ensure that each transistor in the stack is formed with the desired characteristics.

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 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.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a metallic photoresist layer is formed over a target layer to be patterned, the metallic 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. The metallic photo resist layer is an alloy layer of two or more metal elements, and the selective exposure changes a phase of the alloy layer.

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 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.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a metallic photoresist layer is formed over a target layer to be patterned, the metallic 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. The metallic photo resist layer is an alloy layer of two or more metal elements, and the selective exposure changes a phase of the alloy layer.