Simultaneous photoresist development and neutral polymer layer formation
US8715917B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 2012 |
| Grant date | May 6, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB82Y40/00
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A photoresist layer is lithographically exposed to form lithographically exposed photoresist regions and lithographically unexposed photoresist regions. The photoresist layer is developed with a non-polar or weakly polar solvent including a dissolved neutral polymer material. A neutral polymer layer is selectively formed on physically exposed surfaces of a hard mask layer underlying the photoresist layer. The neutral polymer layer has a pattern corresponding to the complement of the area of remaining portions of the photoresist layer. The remaining portions of the photoresist layer are then removed with a polar solvent without removing the neutral polymer layer on the hard mask layer. A block copolymer material can be subsequently applied over the neutral polymer, and the neutral polymer layer can guide the alignment of a phase-separated block copolymer material in a directed self-assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.