A method of manufacturing semiconductor device includes forming a multilayer photoresist structure including a metal-containing photoresist over a substrate. The multilayer photoresist structure includes two or more metal-containing photoresist layers having different physical parameters. The metal-containing photoresist is a reaction product of a first precursor and a second precursor, and each layer of the multilayer photoresist structure is formed using different photoresist layer formation parameters. The different photoresist layer formation parameters are one or more selected from the group consisting of the first precursor, an amount of the first precursor, the second precursor, an amount of the second precursor, a length of time each photoresist layer formation operation, and heating conditions of the photoresist layers. The multilayer photoresist structure is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern, and the latent pattern is developed by applying developer to the selectively exposed multilayer photoresist structure to form the pattern.

Gas-phase methods of forming radiation-sensitive, patternable material and systems for forming the material. Exemplary methods include gas-phase formation of a layer comprising a polymeric material that forms the radiation-sensitive, patternable material on a surface of the substrate. Portions of the layer comprising the polymeric material can be exposed to radiation or active species to form exposed and unexposed regions. Material can be selectively deposed onto the exposed or unexposed portions and/or one of the exposed and unexposed regions can be selectively removed. One or more method steps can be performed within a reaction chamber and/or a reactor system.

The inventive concept provides an apparatus and method for treating a substrate with a gas. The apparatus includes a chamber having a process space in which the substrate is treated, a substrate support unit that supports the substrate in the process space, a gas supply unit that supplies a hydrophobic gas onto the substrate supported on the substrate support unit, and a controller that controls the substrate support unit and the gas supply unit. The substrate support unit includes a support plate on which the substrate is placed and a pin assembly that raises the substrate off the support plate or lowers the substrate onto the support plate, and the controller controls a degree of hydrophobization of a surface of the substrate by adjusting the pin assembly.

The present disclosure relates to a film formed with a metal precursor and an organic precursor, as well as methods for forming and employing such films. The film can be employed as a photopatternable film or a radiation-sensitive film. In particular embodiments, the film includes alternating layers of metal-containing layers and organic layers. In other embodiments, the film includes a matrix of deposited metal and organic constituents.

There are provided a mask processing method and a mask processing apparatus for reusing a mask used in an organic material deposition process. The mask processing method includes: (a) forming a sacrificial layer on a mask in a first chamber; (b) transferring the mask to a second chamber in which a substrate is disposed, and then processing the substrate using the mask; and (c) removing the sacrificial layer on the mask.

The present disclosure relates to a film formed with a tantalum-based precursor, as well as methods for forming and employing such films. The film can be employed as a photopatternable film or a radiation-sensitive film. In non-limiting embodiments, the radiation can include extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation.

Methods for making thin-films on semiconductor substrates, which may be patterned using EUV, include: depositing the organometallic polymer-like material onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, exposing the surface to EUV to form a pattern, and developing the pattern for later transfer to underlying layers. The depositing operations may be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and ALD with a CVD component, such as a discontinuous, ALD-like process in which metal precursors and counter-reactants are separated in either time or space.

Methods of forming structures including photoresist underlayers including a bulk layer and an adhesion layer are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming the bulk layer and forming an adhesion layer using plasma-enhanced cyclical deposition processes. The adhesion layer can be formed within the same reaction chamber used to form the bulk layer.

Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.

Organometallic precursors are described for the formation of high resolution lithography patterning coatings based on metal oxide hydroxide chemistry. The precursor compositions generally comprise ligands readily hydrolysable by water vapor or other OH source composition under modest conditions. The organometallic precursors generally comprise a radiation sensitive organo ligand to tin that can result in a coating that can be effective for high resolution patterning at relatively low radiation doses and is particularly useful for EUV patterning. The precursors compositions are readily processable under commercially suitable conditions. Solution phase processing with in situ hydrolysis or vapor based deposition can be used to form the coatings.