Extreme ultraviolet photolithography method with infiltration for enhanced sensitivity and etch resistance

1. A method for lithography patterning, comprising:

forming a photoresist layer over a substrate;

performing a first infiltration process to the photoresist layer using a cyclic process having a plurality of cycles, wherein each of the plurality of cycles further includes

applying an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer,

contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen, and

contacting the photoresist layer with an oxidant;

performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer;

thereafter, performing a second infiltration process to the photoresist layer; and

thereafter, performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen is implemented between the applying of an organometallic precursor and the contacting of the photoresist layer with an oxidant.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the first infiltration process to the photoresist layer includes maintaining the substrate at a processing temperature ranging between 80° C. to 100° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the applying of an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer includes applying a precursor that includes trimethylaluminum (Al 2 (CH3) 6 ), and

the contacting of the photoresist layer with an oxidant includes contacting water to the photoresist layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

performing a third infiltration process to the photoresist layer after the performing of the developing process.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second infiltration process introduces alumina and the third infiltration process introduces aluminum nitride (AlN) into the photoresist layer for increased etch resistance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the first infiltration process includes performing the first infiltration process to introduce a first metallic compound and a second metallic compound to the photoresist layer, wherein the second metallic compound is different from the first metallic compound in composition.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first metallic compound is absorptive to the EUV radiation and the second metallic compound is transparent to the EUV radiation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein

the first metallic compound includes one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), tin oxide, alumina, and a combination thereof; and

the second metallic compound includes one of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and a combination thereof.

10. A method for lithography patterning, comprising:

forming a photoresist layer over a substrate;

performing a first infiltration process to the photoresist layer using a cyclic process that further includes

applying an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer,

contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen, and

contacting the photoresist layer with an oxidant;

performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer using an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation;

performing a second infiltration process to the photoresist layer after the performing of the exposing process to the photoresist layer; and

performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer after the performing of the second infiltration process.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen is implemented between the applying of an organometallic precursor and the contacting of the photoresist layer with an oxidant in each cycle of the cyclic process.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the performing of the first infiltration process to the photoresist layer includes maintaining the substrate at a processing temperature ranging between 80° C. to 100° C.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein

the applying of an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer includes applying a precursor that includes trimethylaluminum (Al 2 (CH3) 6 ), and

the contacting of the photoresist layer with an oxidant includes contacting water to the photoresist layer.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising performing a third infiltration process to the patterned photoresist layer to enhance etch resistance thereof after the performing the developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second infiltration process introduces alumina and the third infiltration process introduces aluminum nitride (AlN) into the photoresist layer for increased etch resistance.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein

the performing of the first infiltration process includes performing the first infiltration process to introduce a first metallic compound and a second metallic compound to the photoresist layer;

the second metallic compound is different from the first metallic compound in composition; and

the first metallic compound is absorptive to the EUV radiation and the second metallic compound is transparent to the EUV radiation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein

the first metallic compound includes one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), and a combination thereof; and

the second metallic compound includes one of hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and a combination thereof.

18. A method for lithography patterning, comprising:

forming a photoresist layer over a substrate;

performing a first infiltration process to introduce a first metallic compound into the photoresist layer using a cyclic process that further includes

applying an organometallic precursor to the photoresist layer,

contacting the photoresist layer with nitrogen, and

contacting the photoresist layer with an oxidant;

thereafter, performing an exposing process to the photoresist layer;

thereafter, performing a second infiltration process to introduce a second metallic compound into the photoresist layer to the photoresist layer, the second metallic compound being different from the first metallic compound;

thereafter, performing a developing process to the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer; and

thereafter, performing a third infiltration process to the patterned photoresist layer to enhance etch resistance thereof.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first infiltration process introduces one of tin (Sn), aluminum (Al), tin oxide, alumina, and a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second infiltration process introduces alumina and the third infiltration process introduces aluminum nitride (AlN) into the photoresist layer for increased etch resistance.