Vapor phase thermal etch solutions for metal oxo photoresists

1. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions;

vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with either the unexposed regions or the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the halogenating agent comprises MoCl 5 , TaCl 5 , NbCl 5 , or WCl 5 ; and

purging the vacuum chamber.

2. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber, wherein the metal oxo photoresist comprises exposed regions and unexposed regions;

vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with either the unexposed regions or the exposed regions to produce a volatile byproduct, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal oxy halide with a formula of MO a X b or MO a X b L c , wherein M is a metal or semimetal including one or more of Mo, W, Ta, Nb, Sn, V, Ti, or Si, wherein X is a halide including one or more of Cl and Br, and wherein L is a ligand including one or more of an alkyl, an ethylenediamine, or Cp; and

purging the vacuum chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the halogenating agent comprises MoOCl 4 , MoO 2 Cl 2 , WOCl 4 , or WOCl 2 .

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein a is 1-5, b is 1-5, and c is 1-5.

5. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber;

vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the metal oxo photoresist to produce a volatile byproduct; and

purging the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal halide or a metal oxy halide, wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal oxy halide with a formula of MO a X b or MO a X b L c , wherein M is a metal or semimetal including one or more of Mo, W, Ta, Nb, Sn, V, Ti, or Si, wherein X is a halide including one or more of Cl and Br, and wherein L is a ligand including one or more of an alkyl, an ethylenediamine, or Cp.

6. A method of developing a metal oxo photoresist, comprising:

providing a substrate with the metal oxo photoresist into a vacuum chamber;

vaporizing a halogenating agent into the vacuum chamber, wherein the halogenating agent reacts with the metal oxo photoresist to produce a non-volatile product;

vaporizing a ligand into the vacuum chamber, wherein the ligand reacts with the non-volatile product to produce a volatile byproduct; and

purging the vacuum chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal halide.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the halogenating agent comprises a metal oxy halide.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the halogenating agent comprises thionyl chloride (SOCl 2 ), methanesulfonyl chloride (CH 3 SO 2 Cl), trichloromethanesulfonyl chloride (CCl 3 SO 2 Cl), 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride (tosyl chloride), oxalyl chloride (ClCOCOCl), tert-butyl hypochlorite ((CH 3 ) 3 COCl), N-chlorophthalimide, 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, trimethylsilyl chloride, HCl, Cl 2 , PCl 5 , BCl 3 , HBr, Br 2 , CCl 3 Br, CBr 4 , 1,2-dibromo-1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (Cl 2 CBrCBrCl 2 ), BBr 3 , PBr 3 , N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, 2-bromo-2-cyano-N,N-dimethylacetamide, 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, 2,4,4,6-tetrabromo-2,5-cyclohexadienone, or trimethylsilyl bromide.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the ligand is a protonated ligand, comprising an amine.