Pattern-forming method

1. A pattern-forming method comprising:

providing a resist film on a substrate;

exposing the resist film selectively to form a more-polar site and a less-polar site in the resist film, the more-polar site being more polar than the less-polar site and being generated by an exposure to light;

removing the less-polar site and leaving the more-polar site using a developing solution comprising an organic solvent to form a prepattern on the substrate;

filling a space other than a space in which the prepattern is formed on the substrate with a resin composition, the resin composition containing a solvent which is an organic solvent, and a compound which is diffusible into the prepattern;

diffusing the compound into a part of the prepattern; and

removing portions in which the compound is undiffused in the prepattern using a removing liquid to make a pattern using the part of the prepattern.

2. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the removing liquid is an alkaline aqueous solution.

3. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the removing liquid includes an organic solvent.

4. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is diffused by heating.

5. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the compound has a weight average molecular weight of 20,000 or less.

6. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a weight average molecular weight of the compound to a number average molecular weight of the compound is 1.5 or less.

7. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the compound includes a silsesquioxane compound, a polystyrene compound, a (meth)acrylic compound or a mixture thereof.

8. The pattern-forming method of claim 1 , wherein the prepattern is a line-and-space pattern or a pillar pattern.