IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,417,917
Granted Patent B2
US 12,417,917 · App. 17/532,163 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices

Inventors: Sung Kun Kang (Seoul, KR); Hyun Woo Kim (Seongnam-si, KR); Cheol In Jang (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H01L21/0337H01L21/0274H01L21/0332H01L21/3081H01L21/3086
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,417,917
App. No.
17/532,163
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first mask layer on a substrate, forming an under layer on the first mask layer, forming a first photoresist pattern that includes tin on the under layer, converting at least a part of the first photoresist pattern into a second photoresist pattern including tin fluoride, through a plasma treatment process using fluorine element, etching the under layer using the second photoresist pattern as a first mask to form an under pattern, etching the first mask layer to form a first mask pattern, and etching at least a part of the substrate, using a mask pattern including the first mask pattern as a second mask.

Claims (57)

1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first mask layer on a substrate;

forming an under layer on the first mask layer;

forming a first photoresist pattern on the under layer, the first photoresist pattern including tin;

converting at least a part of the first photoresist pattern into a second photoresist pattern including tin fluoride, through a plasma treatment process using fluorine element;

etching the under layer using the second photoresist pattern as a first mask to form an under pattern;

etching the first mask layer to form a first mask pattern; and

etching at least a part of the substrate, using a mask pattern including the first mask pattern as a second mask.

2. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein formation of the under layer on the first mask layer further comprises:

forming a second mask layer on the first mask layer, and

forming the under layer on the second mask layer.

3. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein formation of the under layer on the first mask layer further comprises:

forming a third mask layer on the second mask layer.

4. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the mask pattern further comprises a second mask pattern formed based on etching the second mask layer.

5. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the mask pattern further comprises the under pattern.

6. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 5 , wherein the mask pattern further comprises at least a part of the second photoresist pattern.

7. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein formation of the second photoresist pattern comprises entirely converting the first photoresist pattern into the second photoresist pattern.

8. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein formation of the second photoresist pattern comprises

converting an upper surface and side walls of the first photoresist pattern into the second photoresist pattern, and surrounding a remaining portion of the first photoresist pattern, which is not converted, by the second photoresist pattern.

9. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a height of the first photoresist pattern in a vertical direction is 10 nm to 50 nm.

10. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first photoresist pattern is formed through a lithography process which uses extreme ultraviolet light.

11. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein after the second photoresist pattern is formed, no additional layer being in contact with each of an upper surface and side walls of the second photoresist pattern is formed.

12. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first mask layer on a substrate;

forming a second mask layer on the first mask layer;

forming an under layer on the second mask layer;

forming a first photoresist pattern on the under layer, the first photoresist pattern including tin;

converting at least a part of the first photoresist pattern into a second photoresist pattern including tin fluoride, through a plasma treatment process using fluorine element;

etching the under layer using the second photoresist pattern as a first mask to form an under pattern;

etching the second mask layer using the under pattern as a second mask to form a second mask pattern;

etching the first mask layer using the second mask pattern as a third mask to form a first mask pattern; and

etching at least a part of the substrate, using a mask pattern including the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern.

13. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein formation of the under layer on the second mask layer further comprises

forming a third mask layer on the second mask layer.

14. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein formation of the second mask pattern comprises

etching the third mask layer using the second photoresist pattern and the under pattern as masks to form a third mask pattern; and

etching the second mask layer, using at least a part of the second photoresist pattern, the wider pattern, and the third mask pattern as masks.

15. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein formation of the first mask pattern comprises

etching the first mask layer, using at least a part of the third mask pattern and the second mask pattern as masks.

16. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein formation of the second photoresist pattern comprises

entirely converting the first photoresist pattern into the second photoresist pattern.

17. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein formation of the second photoresist pattern comprises

converting an upper surface and side walls of the first photoresist pattern into the second photoresist pattern, and surrounding a remaining portion of the first photoresist pattern, which is not converted, by the second photoresist pattern.

18. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein formation of the first mask pattern comprises

etching the first mask layer, using at least a part of the second photoresist pattern, the under pattern and the second mask pattern as masks.

19. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first mask layer on a substrate;

forming an under layer on the first mask layer;

forming a first photoresist pattern on the under layer, through a lithography process using extreme ultraviolet light, the first photoresist pattern including tin;

entirely converting the first photoresist pattern into a second photoresist pattern including tin fluoride, through a plasma treatment process using fluorine element;

etching the under layer using the second photoresist pattern as a first mask to form an under pattern;

etching the first mask layer to from a first mask pattern; and

etching at least a part of the substrate, using a mask pattern including the first mask pattern as a second mask,

wherein after the second photoresist pattern is formed, no additional layer being in contact with each of an upper surface and side walls of the second photoresist pattern is formed.

20. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device of claim 19 , wherein formation of the under layer on the first mask layer further comprises

forming a second mask layer on the first mask layer, and

forming the under layer on the second mask layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2021
From: KANG, SUNG KUN; KIM, HYUN WOO; JANG, CHEOL IN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058322/0027 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0059862 · May 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220359200A1 · Nov 10, 2022
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