MY129097A - Methods for forming fine patterns in semiconductor substrates - Google Patents

Abstract

A RESIST COMPOUND WHICH CAN BE USED TO FORM A FINE RESIST PATTERN THROUGH FLOWING OF THE SAME, AND A METHOD FOR FORMING A FINE PATTERN, CAPABLE OF IMPLEMENTING A SMALL FEATURE SIZE IN THE RANGE OF APPROXIMATELY 0.05-0.2 µM. THE RESIST COMPOUND INCLUDES A RESIST COMPOSITION REQUIRED FOR FORMING A PHOTORESIST PATTERN THROUGH A PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY PROCESS, AND A FREE RADICAL INITIATOR CAUSING APARTIAL CROSS-LINKING REACTION IN THE RESIST COMPOSITION WHILE BEING DECOMPOSED BY A THERMAL PROCESS AT A TEMPERATURE EQUAL TO OR HIGHER THAN THE GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE OF THE RESIST COMPOSITION. IN THE METHOD FOR FORMING A FINE PATTERN, THE RESIST COMPOUND IS COATED ON A TARGET LAYER TO BE ETCHED, AND A LITHOGRAPHY PROCESS IS PERFORMED ON THE RESIST COMPOUND LAYER TO FORM A PHOTORESIST PATTERN HAVING OPENINGS EACH OF WHICH EXPOSES THE TARGET LAYER THROUGH A FIRST WIDTH. THEN, THESEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE HAVING THE PHOTORESIST PATTERN IS HEATED AT A TEMPERATURE EQUAL TO OR HIGHER THAN THE GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE, TO FLOW THE RESIST COMPOSITION AND TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CAUSE A PARTIAL CROSS-LINKING REACTION IN THE RESIST COMPOSITION BY THE FREE RADICALS PRODUCED FROM THE FREE RADICAL INITIATOR, RESULTING IN A MODIFIED PHOTORESIST PATTERN HAVING OPENINGS EACH OF WHICH EXPOSES THE TARGETLAYER THROUGH A SECOND WIDTH WHICH IS SMALLER THAN THE FIRST WIDTH.(FIG.1C)