Brewer Science, Inc.

Yubao Wang

Vandana Krishnamurthy

Qin Lin

Daniel M Sullivan

Sean Simmons

Tony D Flaim

Douglas J Guerrero

James E Lamb, Iii

Charles J Neef

Robert Christian Cox

Ramil-Marcelo L Mercado

Carlton Ashley Washburn

Mary Ann Hockey

Andrea M Chacko

Tantiboro Ouattara

Nickolas L Brakensiek

Yichen Liang

Claudia Scott

Kaumba Sakavuyi

Ming Luo

Lithographic compositions for use as wet-removable silicon gap fill layers are provided. The method of using these compositions involves utilizing a silicon gap fill layer over topographic features on a substrate. The silicon gap fill layer can either be directly applied to the substrate, or it can be applied to any intermediate layer(s) that may be applied to the substrate. The preferred silicon gap fill layers are formed from spin-coatable, polymeric compositions with high silicon content, and these layers exhibit good gap fill and planarization performance and high oxygen etch resistance.

High-silicon-content wet-removable planarizing layer

New lithographic compositions for use as EUV silicon hardmask layers are provided. The present invention provides methods of fabricating microelectronic structures and the resulting structures formed thereby using EUV lithographic processes. The method involves utilizing a silicon hardmask layer immediately below the photoresist layer. The silicon hardmask layer can either be directly applied to the substrate, or it can be applied to any intermediate layer(s) that may be applied to the substrate. The preferred silicon hardmask layers are formed from spin-coatable, polymeric compositions. The inventive method improves adhesion and reduces or eliminates pattern collapse issues.

Underlayers for EUV lithography

The invention described herein is directed towards spin-on carbon materials comprising polyamic acid compositions and a crosslinker in a solvent system. The materials are useful in trilayer photolithography processes. Films made with the inventive compositions are not soluble in solvents commonly used in lithographic materials, such as, but not limited to PGME, PGMEA, and cyclohexanone. However, the films can be dissolved in developers commonly used in photolithography. In one embodiment, the films can be heated at high temperatures to improve the thermal stability for high temperature processing. Regardless of the embodiment, the material can be applied to a flat/planar or patterned surface. Advantageously, the material exhibits a wiggling resistance during pattern transfer to silicon substrate using fluorocarbon etch.

Spin-on carbon compositions for lithographic processing

Methods of forming microelectronic structure are provided. The methods comprise the formation of T-shaped structures using a controlled undercutting process, and the deposition of a selectively etchable composition into the undercut areas of the T-shaped structures. The T-shaped structures are subsequently removed to yield extremely small undercut-formed features that conform to the width and optionally the height of the undercut areas of the T-shaped structures. These methods can be combined with other conventional patterning methods to create structures having extremely small feature sizes regardless of the wavelength of light used for patterning.

Processes to pattern small features for advanced patterning needs

Compositions for directed self-assembly patterning techniques are provided which avoid the need for separate anti-reflective coatings and brush neutral layers in the process. Methods for directed self-assembly are also provided in which a self-assembling material, such as a directed self-assembly block copolymer, can be applied directly to the silicon hardmask neutral layer and then self-assembled to form the desired pattern. Directed self-assembly patterned structures are also disclosed herein.

Silicon hardmask layer for directed self-assembly

Radiation-sensitive sol-gel compositions are provided, along with methods of forming microelectronic structures and the structures thus formed. The compositions comprise a sol-gel compound and a base generator dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system. The sol-gel compound comprises recurring monomeric units comprising silicon with crosslinkable moieties bonded to the silicon. Upon exposure to radiation, the base generator generates a strong base, which crosslinks the sol-gel compound in the compositions to yield a crosslinked layer that is insoluble in developers or solvents. The unexposed portions of the layer can be removed to yield a patterned sol-gel layer. The invention can be used to form patterns from sol-gel materials comprising features having feature sizes of less than about 1 &#x3bc;m.

Method of making radiation-sensitive sol-gel materials

Metal-oxide films for lithographic applications are provided. The films are formed from compositions comprising metal-oxide precursor compounds including metals and metalloids other than silicon. These films are easily produced and can be modified with a variety of ligands, including alkoxides, phenoxides, carboxylates, beta-diketones, and beta-ketoesters.

Metal-oxide films from small molecules for lithographic applications

Novel compositions and methods of using those compositions to form metal oxide films or coatings are provided. The compositions comprise an organometallic oligomer and an organic polymer or oligomer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system. The compositions have long shelf lives and can be prepared by easy and reliable preparation procedures. The compositions can be cured to cause conversion of the composition into films of metal oxide interdispersed with organic polymer or oligomer. The cured films have high refractive indices, high optical clarities, and good mechanical stabilities at film thicknesses of greater than about 1 &#x3bc;m.

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Rolla, MO, United States of America

Yubao Wang