Photoresist layer and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9502231-B2
Application number	US-201514724107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for middle layers is provided. In an embodiment the middle layer comprises a floating component in order to form a floating region along a top surface of the middle layer after the middle layer has dispersed. The floating component may be a polymer with a floating group incorporated into the polymer. The floating group may comprise a fluorine atom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
applying a middle layer to a first layer over a substrate, wherein the middle layer has a first thickness after the applying the middle layer;
forming a floating region within the middle layer and along a top surface of the middle layer, wherein the floating region has a second thickness that that is greater than 5% of the first thickness; and
cross-linking polymers within the floating region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking polymers is formed at least in part using an annealing process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the floating region has a higher concentration of a middle layer floating polymer than a remainder of the middle layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the middle layer floating polymer further comprises a chromophore unit.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the middle layer floating polymer further comprises a floating group.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the floating group comprises a substituted fluorine atom.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the floating group comprises a alkyl fluoride group.

8. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
applying a middle layer material onto an anti-reflective coating over a substrate, the middle layer material comprising at least one polymer at a first concentration, the at least one polymer further comprising:
a chromophore group; and
a floating group; and

forming a floating region within the middle layer material, wherein the floating region comprises a second concentration of the at least one polymer higher than the first concentration.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising annealing the floating region.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the floating group comprises a substituted fluorine atom.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the floating group comprises an alkyl group with a substituted fluorine.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising applying a photoresist over the middle layer after the forming the floating region.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising patterning the middle layer with the photoresist as a mask.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising semiconductor fins located within the bottom-anti-reflective coating.

15. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
applying a bottom anti-reflective layer over a substrate;
applying a middle layer over the bottom anti-reflective layer; and
modifying a reflectivity of the middle layer by forming a high-concentration region of a first polymer along a surface of the middle layer facing away from the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first polymer comprises a substituted fluorine atom.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first polymer comprises an alkyl group with a substituted fluorine atom.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying a photoresist in physical contact with the middle layer.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
patterning the photoresist to form a patterned photoresist; and
etching the middle layer using the patterned photoresist as a mask.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising annealing the middle layer to cross-link the first polymer to a second polymer.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Chen-Yu
• Chang Ching-Yu

Classifications

• H10P76/2043

  using an anti-reflective coating · CPC title

• H10P76/405

  characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks · CPC title

• H10P50/287

  by chemical means · CPC title

• H10P50/283

  by chemical means · CPC title

• H10P14/6546

  to change the surface groups of the insulating materials · CPC title