Methods of forming patterns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523917-B2
Application number	US-201615137819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Methods of forming patterns includes guide patterns on a neutral layer. A self-assembling block copolymer (BCP) layer on the guide patterns and the neutral layer. By annealing the self-assembling BCP layer, first polymer block domains and second polymer block domains are formed The guide patterns are formed of a developable antireflective material. The neutral layer is formed of a cross-linked polymeric material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming patterns, the method comprising:
forming a neutral layer on an underlying layer;
forming a developable antireflective layer on the neutral layer;
forming a photoresist layer on the developable antireflective layer;
selectively exposing portions of the photoresist layer and portions of the developable antireflective layer to light;
selectively removing, non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern exposing non-exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer;
selectively removing the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer to form guide patterns exposing portions of the neutral layer;
forming a self-assembling block copolymer (BCP) layer on the guide patterns and the exposed neutral layer; and
annealing the self-assembling BCP layer to form first polymer block domains and second polymer block domains, which are alternately and repeatedly arrayed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively removing non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer is performed using a negative tone developer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively removing the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer is performed using a positive tone developer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the photoresist pattern is removed while the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer are selectively removed using the positive tone developer.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the self-assembling BCP layer includes a first polymer block component and a second polymer block component which are suitable for separating into different phases during the annealing of the self-assembling BCP layer; and
wherein the first polymer block domains are formed of the first polymer block component and the second polymer block domains are formed of the second polymer block component.

6. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the developable antireflective layer is formed of a material having greater affinity to the first polymer block component than to the second polymer block component; and
wherein the first polymer block domains are formed on the guide patterns while the self-assembling BCP layer is annealed.

7. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the self-assembling BCP layer is formed of a polystyrene-poly(meta methyl acrylate) block copolymer (PS-b-PMMA) material; and
wherein the developable antireflective layer is formed of an organic material having greater affinity to the PMMA polymer block component than to the PS polymer block component.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the neutral layer exhibits substantially the same affinity to both the first and second polymer block components so that the first polymer block domains and the second polymer block domains are alternately and repeatedly arrayed on the neutral layer.

9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the neutral layer includes a cross-linked polymeric material.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
removing the first polymer block domains from the second polymer block domains.

11. A method of forming patterns the method comprising:
forming an inorganic underlying layer;
forming a cross-linked polymeric neutral layer on the underlying layer;
forming a developable antireflective layer on the neutral layer;
forming a photoresist layer on the developable antireflective layer;
selectively exposing portions of the photoresist layer and portions of the developable antireflective layer to light;
selectively removing, non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern exposing non-exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer;
selectively removing the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer to form guide patterns exposing portions of the neutral layer;
is forming a self-assembling block copolymer (BCP) layer on the guide patterns and the exposed neutral layer; and
annealing the self-assembling BCP layer to form first polymer block domains and second polymer block domains, which are alternately and repeatedly arrayed.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein inorganic underlying layer includes a silicon dioxide layer, a silicon oxinitride layer or a silicon nitride layer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectively removing non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer is performed using a negative tone developer.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selectively removing the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer is performed using a positive tone developer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the photoresist pattern is removed while the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer are selectively removed using the positive tone developer.

16. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the self-assembling BCP layer includes a first polymer block component and a second polymer block component, which are suitable for separating into different phases during the annealing of the self-assembling BCP layer; and
wherein the first polymer block domains are formed of the first polymer block component and the second polymer block domains are formed of the second polymer block component.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the developable antireflective layer is formed of a material having greater affinity to the first polymer block component than to the second polymer block component; and
wherein the first polymer block domains are formed on the guide patterns while the self-assembling BCP layer is annealed.

18. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the self-assembling BCP layer is formed of a polystyrene-poly(eta methyl acrylate) block copolymer (PS-b-PMMA) material; and
wherein the developable antireflective layer is formed of an organic material having greater affinity to the PMMA polymer block component than to the PS polymer block component.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the neutral layer exhibits substantially the same affinity to both the first and second polymer block components so that the first polymer block domains and the second polymer block domains are alternately and repeatedly arrayed on the neutral layer.

20. A method of forming patterns, the method comprising:
forming an inorganic underlying layer;
forming a cross-linked polymeric neutral layer on the underlying layer;
forming a developable antireflective layer on the neutral layer;
forming a photoresist layer on the developable antireflective layer;
selectively exposing portions of the photoresist layer and portions of the developable antireflective layer to light;
selectively removing non-exposed portions of the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern exposing non-exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer;
selectively removing the exposed portions of the developable antireflective layer to form guide patterns exposing portions of the neutral layer, the guide patterns having line shape;
forming a self-assembling block copolymer (BCP) layer on the guide patterns and the exposed neutral layer; and
annealing the self-assembling BCP layer to form first polymer block domains and second polymer block domains, which are alternately and repeatedly arrayed.

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Ban Keun Do
• Bok Cheol Kyu
• Heo Jung Gun
• Kim Hong Ik

Classifications

• H10P76/4085

  characterised by the processes involved to create the masks · CPC title

• H10P76/2043

  using an anti-reflective coating · CPC title

• H10P50/73

  using masks for insulating materials · CPC title

• H10P50/71

  using masks for conductive or resistive materials · CPC title

• G03F7/325

  Non-aqueous compositions · CPC title