Patent · US Expired

Planarization method for multi-layer lithography processing

US7455955B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
23References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 2003
Grant dateNov 25, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/24851
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards contact planarization methods that can be used to planarize substrate surfaces having a wide range of topographic feature densities for lithography applications. These processes use thermally curable, photo-curable, or thermoplastic materials to provide globally planarized surfaces over topographic substrate surfaces for lithography applications. Additional coating(s) with global planarity and uniform thickness can be obtained on the planarized surfaces. These inventive methods can be utilized with single-layer, bilayer, or multi-layer processing involving bottom anti-reflective coatings, photoresists, hardmasks, and other organic and inorganic polymers in an appropriate coating sequence as required by the particular application. More specifically, this invention produces globally planar surfaces for use in dual damascene and bilayer processes with greatly improved photolithography process latitude. The invention further provides globally planar surfaces to transfer patterns using imprint lithography, nano-imprint lithography, hot-embossing lithography and stamping pattern transfer techniques.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.