A method for producing an electronic device includes the pattern forming method, and an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition for organic solvent development. Specifically, provided is a pattern forming method, including a film forming step of forming a film by an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, an exposure step of irradiating the film, and a development step of developing the film using a developer containing an organic solvent, in which the composition contains a resin containing a repeating unit having an Si atom and a repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group and a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, the content of Si atoms in the resin is 1.0 to 30 mass %, and the content of the resin in the total solid content of the composition is 20 mass % or more.

There is provided a pattern forming method, including: (1) forming a film using an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, (2) exposing the film with actinic ray or radiation, (3) developing the film exposed by using a developer containing an organic solvent, wherein the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains (A) a resin having a repeating unit (R) with a structural moiety capable of decomposing upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation to generate an acid, and (B) a solvent, and the developer contains an additive that causes at least one interaction selected from the group consisting of an ionic bond, a hydrogen bond, a chemical bond and a dipole interaction with respect to a polar group contained in the resin (A) after the exposing.

Provided is a method of forming a pattern and an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition that excels in the limiting resolving power, roughness characteristics, exposure latitude (EL) and bridge defect performance. The method of forming a pattern includes (1) forming an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition into a film, (2) exposing the film to light, and (3) developing the exposed film with a developer containing an organic solvent. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains (A) a resin containing a repeating unit with a structural moiety that is configured to decompose when exposed to actinic rays or radiation to thereby generate an acid, and (B) a solvent.

The present invention relates to a radiation-sensitive resin composition that contains: a compound that has a structure represented by the following formula (1); a first polymer that includes a fluorine atom; and a solvent. In the following formula (1), X represents a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group or a single bond. Y.sup.+ represents a monovalent radiation-degradable onium cation. The first polymer preferably has at least one selected from the group consisting of a structural unit represented by the following formula (2a) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (2b). The first polymer preferably includes an alkali-labile group. The first polymer preferably includes an acid-labile group. It is preferred that a radiation-sensitive acid generator is further contained. ##STR00001##

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) and a method for optically characterizing or processing an object (60), and to an object transport unit (55). The apparatus (10) comprises an object carrier (50) for receiving an object (60); an optical characterization or processing unit (15), comprising at least one device for producing or for receiving light (140) and an objective (40) for exposing the object (60) using the light (140) or for capturing the light (140) from the object (60), wherein the objective (40) has an end face (46) facing the object carrier (50), wherein the end face (46) has an edge (47), wherein the objective (40) further defines an optical axis (502); at least one membrane (100) introduced between the objective (40) and the object carrier (50), wherein the membrane (100) has a portion (120) configured for penetration by the light (140), wherein at least the portion (120) of the membrane (100) is movable in the axial direction with respect to the optical axis (502), at least one membrane holder (80) for holding the at least one membrane (100), and at least one immersion medium (160) which is at least introduced between the membrane (100) and the object carrier (50),
wherein the membrane (100) and the membrane holder (80) are fastened at a point outside of the objective, and wherein the membrane (100) is arranged at the membrane holder (80) in a manner that first contact points (81) between the membrane (100) and the membrane holder (80) are located on or outside a lateral surface (510) which is formed by a geometric extrusion of the edge (47) of the objective (40) parallel to the optical axis (502).

The apparatus (10), the method and the object transport unit (55) facilitate the optical characterization or processing of an object (60) in a manner that meets the specific needs of high-throughput industrial applications.

A pattern is formed by coating a resist composition comprising a fluorine-containing polymer, a base resin, an acid generator, and an organic solvent, baking the composition at 50-300° C. in an atmosphere of a solvent having a boiling point of 60-250° C., exposure, and development. In immersion lithography, the resist film is improved in water repellency and water slip, and LWR after pattern formation is reduced. In EB or EUV lithography, outgassing is suppressed and LWR is reduced.

A method of forming a device includes forming a hard mask layer over an underlying layer of a substrate, forming an anti-reflective coating layer over the hard mask layer, forming a patterned resist layer over the anti-reflective coating layer, and forming a mandrel including the anti-reflective coating layer by patterning the anti-reflective coating layer using the patterned resist layer as an etch mask. The method includes forming a sidewall spacer on the mandrel including the anti-reflective coating layer, forming a freestanding spacer on the hard mask layer by removing the mandrel from the anti-reflective coating layer, and using the freestanding spacer as an etch mask, patterning the underlying layer of the substrate.

An apparatus, comprising at least one vessel having a bottom and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom, wherein the at least one sidewall encloses an interior of the at least one vessel, a shaft has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the shaft extends into the interior of the at least one vessel, wherein the proximal end of the shaft is coupled to a motor, at least one support structure which extends laterally from the shaft; and a substrate attachment fixture on a distal end of the at least one support structure, wherein the at least one support structure and the substrate attachment fixture are within the interior of the at least one vessel.

A resin composition includes a resin A, a resin C, and a solvent. The resin A includes a sulfonic-acid-group-containing structural unit in an amount exceeding 5 mol % with respect to total structural units included in the resin A. The resin A has a content of a fluorine atom of 30 mass % or less with respect to a total mass of the resin A. The resin C includes a fluorine atom in a larger content per unit mass than the content of a fluorine atom per unit mass in the resin A. A content of the resin A in the resin composition is lower than a content of the resin C in the resin composition in terms of mass.

A method of operating a semiconductor apparatus includes generating an electric field in peripheral areas of a first covering structure and a second covering structure; causing a photomask to move to a position between the first and second covering structures such that the photomask at least partially vertically overlaps the first and second covering structures and such that particles attached to the photomask are attracted to the first and second covering structures by the electric field; and irradiating the photomask with light through light transmission regions of the first and second covering structures.