Methods and apparatuses for minimizing line edge/width roughness in lines formed by photolithography are provided. In one example, a method of processing a substrate includes applying a photoresist layer comprising a photoacid generator to on a multi-layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the multi-layer comprises an underlayer formed from an organic material, inorganic material, or a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer unprotected by a photomask to a radiation light in a lithographic exposure process, and applying an electric field or a magnetic field to alter movement of photoacid generated from the photoacid generator substantially in a vertical direction.

A hard mask-forming composition which forms a hard mask used in lithography, including: a resin containing an aromatic ring and a polar group; and a compound containing at least one of an oxazine ring fused to an aromatic ring, and a fluorene ring.

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.

Photoresists and methods of forming and using the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes spin-on coating a first hard mask layer over a target layer; depositing a photoresist layer over the first hard mask layer using chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition, the photoresist layer being deposited using one or more organometallic precursors; heating the photoresist layer to cause cross-linking between the one or more organometallic precursors; exposing the photoresist layer to patterned energy; heating the photoresist layer to cause de-crosslinking in the photoresist layer forming a de-crosslinked portion of the photoresist layer; and removing the de-crosslinked portion of the photoresist layer.

A photoresist underlayer composition, comprising a first material comprising two or more hydroxy groups; a second material comprising two or more glycidyl groups; an additive, wherein the additive comprises a compound of Formula (5), a compound of Formula (6), or a combination thereof; and a solvent, wherein the structures of Formula (5) and (6) are as disclosed herein.

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).

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 material for forming an adhesive film used for an adhesive film formed directly under a resist upper layer film, contains: (A) a resin having at least one structural unit containing a fluorine-substituted organic sulfonyl anion structure and having at least one structural unit shown by the following general formula (2) besides the structural unit containing the fluorine-substituted organic sulfonyl anion structure; (B) a thermal acid generator; and (C) an organic solvent. The material forms an adhesive film in a fine patterning process by a multilayer resist method in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, where the material gives an adhesive film that has high adhesiveness to a resist upper layer film, has an effect of suppressing fine pattern collapse, and also makes it possible to form an excellent pattern profile. A patterning process uses the material. A method forms the adhesive film.

##STR00001##

A photoresist underlayer composition comprising a first polymer comprising a first structural unit derived from an N-(alkoxymethyl) (meth)acrylic amide monomer; a second structural unit comprising an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, an ester group, an amide group, or a combination thereof, wherein the second structural unit further comprises a crosslinkable group; wherein the first polymer comprises the second structural unit, the photoresist underlayer composition further comprises a second polymer comprising the second structural unit, or a combination thereof, a thermal acid generator; and a solvent.

A composition for film formation includes a hydrolysis compound and a solvent composition. The hydrolysus compound is a hydrolysis product of a metal compound including a hydrolyzable group, a hydrolytic condensation product of the metal compound, a condensation product of the metal compound and a compound represented by formula (1), or a combination thereof. The metal compound includes a metal element from group 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13, or a combination thereof. The solvent composition includes an alcohol organic solvent, and a non-alcohol organic solvent that does not include an alcoholic hydroxyl group and that include a group including a hetero atom.

R.sup.1X.sup.1).sub.n  (1)