Photolithographic patterning process using a carbon hard mask layer of diamond-like hardness produced by a plasma-enhanced deposition process

1. A process for photolithographic production of patterns in a substrate, comprising:

applying a carbon hard mask layer to the substrate by a plasma-enhanced deposition process, the deposition being carried out such that the carbon hard mask layer, in at least one layer thickness section, has a hardness comparable to that of diamond;

patterning the carbon hard mask layer; and

transferring the pattern of the carbon hard mask layer to the substrate, wherein

in the applying process, the plasma-enhanced deposition process is a high density plasma deposition process, one or more of the gases CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 2 and C 3 H 6 are used as carbon precursors, and hydrogen and one or both of the gases argon and neon are supplied, wherein during the production of the diamond-like layer thickness section, the content of the supplied hydrogen and the other parameters used for deposition are set such that hydrogen content in the produced carbon hard mask layer is below 5%.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein ion bombardment is brought about during the deposition through an introduction of Ar and/or Ne, and/or high levels of hydrogen are supplied.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a substrate temperature of from 200° C.-750° C. is set during the production of the diamond-like layer thickness section.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the applying includes a PECVD deposition process.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the patterning includes

applying a photoresist layer to the carbon hard mask layer, which is patterned by photolithography and the pattern is transferred to the carbon hard mask layer.

6. The process as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:

introducing an interlayer between the carbon hard mask layer and the photoresist layer, and transferring the pattern produced in the photoresist layer to the interlayer and is then

transferred to the carbon hard mask layer.

7. The process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the photoresist layer is chemically amplified after it has been patterned.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carbon hard mask layer is formed as a gradient layer.

9. The process as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the applying is carried out such that the composition and/or the pattern of the carbon hard mask layer varies as a function of its depth.

10. A process for producing insulation regions between components formed in a substrate, comprising:

applying a carbon hard mask layer to the substrate by a plasma-enhanced deposition process, the deposition being carried out such that the carbon hard mask layer, in at least one layer thickness section, has a hardness comparable to that of diamond;

patterning the carbon hard mask layer; and

transferring the pattern of the carbon hard mask layer to the substrate, wherein

in the applying process, the plasma-enhanced deposition process is a high density plasma deposition process, one or more of the gases CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 2 and C 3 H 6 are used as carbon precursors, and hydrogen and one or both of the gases argon and neon are supplied, wherein during the production of the diamond-like layer thickness section, the content of the supplied hydrogen and the other parameters used for deposition are set such that hydrogen content in the produced carbon hard mask layer is below 5%; and

filling the removed regions with an insulating material.