Method for patterning a photo-resist in an immersion lithography process
View Patent ↗A method for patterning a photo-resist in an immersion lithography process is described. The method includes forming a photo-resist layer above a substrate. A hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer is formed above the photo-resist layer. The photo-resist layer is exposed, through the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer, to a light source. The photo-resist layer is developed to provide a patterned photo-resist layer.
1. A method for patterning a photo-resist in an immersion lithography process, the method comprising:
forming a photo-resist layer above a substrate;
forming a hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer above the photo-resist layer;
exposing, through the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer, the photo-resist layer to a light source;
removing the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer; and, subsequently, developing the photo-resist layer to provide a patterned photo-resist layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer above the photo-resist layer comprises forming a layer comprising a fluorocarbon and an acrylate chromophore.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein forming the layer comprising the fluoro-carbon and the acrylate chromophore comprises forming a layer comprising a fluoro-carbon acrylate and trimethylolpropane propoxylate triacrylate chromophore.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to exposing the photo-resist layer to the light source, heating the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer to a temperature approximately in the range of 80-160 degrees Celsius for a duration approximately in the range of 30-120 seconds.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer comprises forming the layer to a thickness approximately in the range of 5-200 nanometers.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer substantially prevents leaching of components of the photo-resist layer to the top surface of the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer and substantially prevents immersion liquid penetration from the top surface of the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer to the photo-resist layer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer enhances a serial image contrast within the photo-resist layer.
8. A method for patterning a photo-resist in an immersion lithography process, the method comprising:
spin-coating a photo-resist layer above a substrate, the photo-resist layer comprising a set of barrier-forming components;
heating the photo-resist layer, wherein the spin-coating or the heating causes the set of barrier-forming components to migrate from the bulk of the photo-resist layer to form a hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer at the top surface of the photo-resist layer;
exposing, through the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer, the photo-resist layer to a light source; and
developing the photo-resist layer to provide a patterned photo-resist layer.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein developing the photo-resist layer to provide the patterned photo-resist layer comprises removing the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
removing the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer prior to developing the photo-resist layer.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer above the photo-resist layer comprises forming a layer comprising a fluorocarbon and an acrylate chromophore.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the layer comprising the fluorocarbon and the acrylate chromophore comprises forming a layer comprising a fluorocarbon acrylate and trimethylolpropane propoxylate triacrylate chromophore.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein heating the photo-resist layer comprises heating to a temperature approximately in the range of 80-160 degrees Celsius for a duration approximately in the range of 30-120 seconds.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer comprises forming the layer to a thickness approximately in the range of 5-200 nanometers.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer substantially prevents leaching of components of the photo-resist layer to the top surface of the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer and substantially prevents immersion liquid penetration from the top surface of the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer to the photo-resist layer.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophobic and contrast-enhancing barrier layer enhances a serial image contrast within the photo-resist layer.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein spin-coating the photo-resist layer above the substrate comprises forming the photo-resist layer to comprise approximately 30% or less by volume of the set of barrier-forming components.
18. The method of claim 8 , wherein spin-coating the photo-resist layer above the substrate, the photo-resist layer comprising the set of barrier-forming components, comprises forming the photo-resist layer to a thickness approximately in the range of 20-500 nanometers.