Method of forming metal oxide hardmask

1. A method of forming a metal oxide hardmask on a template, comprising:

providing a template constituted by a photoresist or amorphous carbon formed on a substrate;

depositing by atomic layer deposition (ALD) a metal oxide hardmask on the template constituted by a material having a formula Si x M (1-x) O y wherein M represents at least one metal element, x is less than one including zero, and y is approximately two or a stoichlometrically-determined number, wherein M is a metal whose fluoride has a vapor pressure of more than 100 Pa at a temperature for cleaning a reactor used for depositing the metal oxide hard mask; and wherein the ALD is plasma enhanced ALD(PE-ALD), wherein the depositing of the metal oxide hardmask comprises supplying a precursor for the metal oxide hardmask in pulses and applying RF power in pulses between the pulses of the precursor, wherein at least one reactant gas is supplied while applying the RF power, wherein the precursor is a metal-containing alkylamino compound or metal-containing alkoxy compound.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide hardmask is a spacer film.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the spacer film is for spacer-defined double patterning (SDDP), and the method further comprises performing SDDP after the step of depositing the spacer film on the template.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein M is Ti, W, or Ta.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein M is Ti.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the material constituting the metal oxide hardmask is TiO 2 .

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ALD is performed at a temperature of 300° C. or lower for the template constituted by the amorphous carbon or at a temperature of 150° C. or lower for the template constituted b the photoresist.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ALD is performed under conditions substantially equivalent to those set for a SiO 2 hardmask constituted by SiO 2 , wherein a gas containing M is used in place of a gas containing Si for the SiO 2 hardmask.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the metal oxide hardmask has an elastic modulus at least three times higher than that of the SiO 2 hardmask, and a hardness at least two times higher than that of the SiO 2 hardmask.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the metal oxide hardmask has a dry etch rate lower than that of the SiO 2 hardmask and a wet etch rate comparable to that of standard thermal oxide.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a base film formed under the template, which base film is constituted by silicon oxide.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the template has a convex pattern constituted by the photoresist or amorphous carbon, said convex pattern having a width of less than one micron meter and a ratio of height to width of one or higher.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reactant gas comprises a nitrogen-containing gas.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide hardmask is constituted by a laminate of atomic layers of a metal oxide and atomic layers of a silicon oxide alternately deposited.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide hardmask has a film stress equivalent to that of the template.