Patent · US Active

Line pattern collapse mitigation through gap-fill material application

US9454081B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

6References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED · JP

Inventors

Mark H. Somervell · Richardson, US
Benjamen M. Rathsack · Austin, US
Ian J. Brown · Austin, US
Steven Scheer · Austin, US
Joshua Hooge · Austin, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 15, 2034

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03F7/40
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigation of photoresist line pattern collapse in a photolithography process by applying a gap-fill material treatment after the post-development line pattern rinse step. The gap-fill material dries into a solid layer filling the inter-line spaces of the line pattern, thereby preventing line pattern collapse due to capillary forces during the post-rinse line pattern drying step. Once dried, the gap-fill material is depolymerized, volatilized, and removed from the line pattern by heating, illumination with ultraviolet light, by application of a catalyst chemistry, or by plasma etching.

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