A polymer having a repeating unit represented by Formula 1: ##STR00001## wherein each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 chain-like saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 0 to 2 first heteroatoms or a substituted or unsubstituted C3-C6 cyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 0 to 2 first heteroatoms, wherein at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is a hydrocarbon group substituted with a fluorine atom. R.sub.4 is a C1-C10 chain-like saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 0 to 2 second heteroatoms or a C3-C10 cyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 0 to 2 second heteroatoms. R.sub.5 is a C1-C10 chain-like saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 third heteroatoms or a C3-C10 cyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 third heteroatoms.

A lithography method includes forming a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer on a substrate, wherein the BARC layer includes an organic polymer and a reactive chemical group having at least one of chelating ligands and capping monomers, wherein the reactive chemical group is bonded to the organic polymer; coating a metal-containing photoresist (MePR) layer on the BARC layer, wherein the MePR being sensitive to an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation; performing a first baking process to the MePR layer and the BARC layer, thereby reacting a metal chemical structure of the MePR layer and the reactive chemical structure of the BARC layer and forming an interface layer between the MePR layer and the BARC layer; performing an exposure process using the EUV radiation to the MePR layer; and developing the MePR layer to form a patterned photoresist layer.

A process for transferring a component from a release layer by exposing the release layer to light and heat from different sources is described. The process includes providing an assembly comprising a substrate, a release layer and a component, heating the release layer and exposing the release layer to an actinic wavelength of light, wherein the heating source and the actinic irradiation source are different sources.

Disclosed methods employ acid generator components in an underlayer. Acid generated by the acid generator components diffuses into an overlying layer, e.g., a photoresist layer, and provides acid which chemically alters the photoresist, e.g., alters the solubility of the photoresist in a developer solution. The acid that diffuses into the overlying photoresist layer increases the concentration and the uniformity of concentration of the acid in lower portions of the photoresist. The regions of increased acid concentration within the photoresist can increase the photoresists solubility in developer solutions, thereby reducing inadequate development of the photoresist. Reducing inadequate development of the photoresist can reduce the amount of photoresist residue or scum that remains after development is complete.

A composition for forming a resist underlayer film which enables to form a flat film with a favorable coating even on a so-called stepped substrate and a small film thickness difference after embedding, and also a polymer as an important component of the composition for forming a resist underlayer film, a resist underlayer film formed using the composition for forming a resist underlayer film, and a method of producing a semiconductor device. The composition for forming a resist underlayer film, includes a compound of the following Formula (1) and a solvent:

##STR00001##

(wherein, Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3 and Ar.sub.4 are each independently a substitutable monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, a, b, c, and d are each 0 or 1, and a+b+c+d=1).

The object of the present invention is to provide resist underlayer film-forming composition for forming resist underlayer film usable as hard mask and removable by wet etching process using chemical solution such as sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide. A resist underlayer film-forming composition for lithography comprises a component (A) and component (B), the component (A) includes a hydrolyzable silane, hydrolysis product thereof, or hydrolysis-condensation product thereof, the hydrolyzable silane includes hydrolyzable silane of Formula (1):R.sup.1.sub.aR.sup.2.sub.bSi(R.sup.3).sub.4−(a+b) (where R.sup.1 is organic group of Formula (2):

##STR00001##

and is bonded to silicon atom through a Si—C bond; R.sup.3 is an alkoxy group, acyloxy group, or halogen group; is an integer of 1; b is an integer of 0 to 2; and a+b is an integer of 1 to 3), and the component (B) is cross-linkable compound having ring structure having alkoxymethyl group or hydroxymethyl group, cross-linkable compound having epoxy group or blocked isocyanate group.

Provided is an anti-reflection coating composition. The anti-reflection coating composition includes an active component and a solvent B. The active component includes a matting resin A, a catalyst C, and a crosslinking agent D. The weight average molecular weight of the matting resin A is less than or equal to 20000. Also provided is use of the anti-reflection coating composition.

A composition contains an organic solvent and compound (formula (1)), theoretical molecular weight 999 or less. (Z1 contains a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring; U represents a monovalent organic group (formula (2)); and p represents 2 to 4.) (In formula (2), R1 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; A1 to A3 represent a hydrogen atom, or methyl or ethyl group: X represents —COO—, —OCO—, —O—, —S— or —NRa-; Ra represents a hydrogen atom or methyl group; Y represents a direct bond or optionally substituted alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R2, R3 and R4 represent a hydrogen atom or optionally substituted alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or aryl group having 6 to 40 carbon atoms; R5 represents a hydrogen atom or hydroxy group; n represents 0 or 1; m1 and m2 represent 0 or 1; and * represents a binding site to Z1.)

A KrF (248 nm) photoresist patterning process flow is disclosed wherein photoresist patterns having a sub-100 nm CD are formed on a dielectric antireflective coating (DARC) thereby lowering cost of ownership by replacing a more expensive ArF (193 nm) photoresist patterning process. A key feature is treatment of a DARC such as SiON with a photoresist developer solution that is 0.263 N tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) prior to treatment with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) in order to significantly improve adhesion of features with CD down to about 60 nm. After the HMDS treatment, a photoresist layer is coated on the DARC, patternwise exposed, and treated with the photoresist developer solution to form a pattern therein. Features that were previously resolved by KrF patterning processes but subsequently collapsed because of poor adhesion, now remain upright and intact during a subsequent etch process used to transfer the sub-100 nm features into a substrate.

A method includes forming a first high-k dielectric layer over a first semiconductor region, forming a second high-k dielectric layer over a second semiconductor region, forming a first metal layer comprising a first portion over the first high-k dielectric layer and a second portion over the second high-k dielectric layer, forming an etching mask over the second portion of the first metal layer, and etching the first portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask protects the second portion of the first metal layer. The etching mask is ashed using meta stable plasma. A second metal layer is then formed over the first high-k dielectric layer.