IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,550,222
Granted Patent B2
US 11,550,222 · App. 16/890,867 · Granted Jan 10, 2023

Dose reduction of patterned metal oxide photoresists

Inventors: Tejinder Singh (San Jose, CA); Lifan Yan (San Jose, CA); Abhijit B. Mallick (Fremont, CA); Daniel Lee Diehl (Chiba, JP); Ho-yung Hwang (Cupertino, CA); Jothilingam Ramalingam (Milpitas, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
G03F7/094H01L21/0274H01L21/0332H01L21/3081G03F7/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,550,222
App. No.
16/890,867
Granted
Jan 10, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a multilayer stack used as a mask in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and methods for forming a multilayer stack. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a carbon layer over a film stack, forming a metal rich oxide layer on the carbon layer by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, forming a metal oxide photoresist layer on the metal rich oxide layer, and patterning the metal oxide photoresist layer. The metal oxide photoresist layer is different from the metal rich oxide layer and is formed by a process different from the PVD process. The metal rich oxide layer formed by the PVD process improves adhesion of the metal oxide photoresist layer and increases the secondary electrons during EUV lithography, which leads to decreased EUV dose energies.

Claims (28)

1. A method for forming a multilayer stack, comprising:

forming a first layer on a film stack, the first layer comprising a carbon-containing layer;

forming a second layer on the first layer by a physical vapor deposition process, the second layer comprising a metal rich oxide layer; and

forming a metal oxide photoresist layer on the second layer, the metal oxide photoresist layer comprising a material different from the second layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer further comprises a doped carbon-containing layer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first layer further comprises a boron doped carbon layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layer further comprises a carbon-containing layer having a density greater than about 1.8 g/cc.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the carbon-containing layer is a diamond-like carbon layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second layer further comprises a high Z metal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second layer further comprises one or more of tin, indium, gallium, zinc, tellurium, antimony, nickel, titanium, aluminum, or tantalum.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second layer is a tin oxide layer, an indium gallium zinc oxide layer, an indium tin oxide layer, or a tantalum oxide layer.

9. A multilayer stack used as a mask in extreme ultraviolet lithography, comprising:

a first layer disposed on a film stack, the first layer comprising a carbon-containing layer;

a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer comprising a metal rich oxide layer; and

a metal oxide photoresist layer disposed on the second layer, the metal oxide photoresist layer comprising a material different from the second layer.

10. The multilayer stack of claim 9 , wherein the first layer further comprises a doped carbon-containing layer.

11. The multilayer stack of claim 10 , wherein the first layer further comprises a boron doped carbon layer.

12. The multilayer stack of claim 9 , wherein the first layer further comprises a carbon-containing layer having a density greater than about 1.8 g/cc.

13. The multilayer stack of claim 12 , wherein the carbon-containing layer is a diamond-like carbon layer.

14. The multilayer stack of claim 9 , wherein the second layer further comprises a high Z metal.

15. The multilayer stack of claim 9 , wherein the second layer further comprises one or more of tin, indium, gallium, zinc, tellurium, antimony, nickel, titanium, aluminum, or tantalum.

16. The multilayer stack of claim 15 , wherein the second layer is a tin oxide layer, an indium gallium zinc oxide layer, an indium tin oxide layer, or a tantalum oxide layer.

17. The multilayer stack of claim 12 , wherein the second layer is a tin oxide layer, an indium gallium zinc oxide layer, an indium tin oxide layer, or a tantalum oxide layer.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions to control components of a processing system to perform the process of:

forming a first layer on a film stack, the first layer comprising a carbon-containing layer having a density greater than about 1.8 g/cc; and

forming a second layer on the first layer by a physical vapor deposition process, the second layer comprising one or more of tin, indium, gallium, zinc, tellurium, antimony, nickel, titanium, aluminum, or tantalum.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the first layer is a diamond-like carbon layer.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the second layer is a tin oxide layer, an indium gallium zinc oxide layer, an indium tin oxide layer, or a tantalum oxide layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2020
From: SINGH, TEJINDER; YAN, LIFAN; MALLICK, ABHIJIT B.; DIEHL, DANIEL LEE; HWANG, HOYOUNG DAVID; RAMALINGAM, JOTHLINGAM
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053789/0880 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62881452 · Aug 1, 2019
Related Publication 20210033974A1 · Feb 4, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,504,689 US 12,598,968 US 12,648,420