High-chi diblock copolymers are disclosed whose self-assembly properties are suitable for forming hole and bar openings for conductive interconnects in a multi-layered structure. The hole and bar openings have reduced critical dimension, improved uniformity, and improved placement error compared to the industry standard poly(styrene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) block copolymer (PS-b-PMMA). The BCPs comprise a poly(styrene) block, which can optionally include repeat units derived from trimethylsilyl styrene, and a second block that can be a polycarbonate block or a polyester block. Block copolymers comprising a fluorinated linking group L′ comprising 1-25 fluorines between the blocks can provide further improvement in uniformity of the openings.

There is provided a method of forming a patterned structure on a substrate. The method includes: forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer being a negative tone resist; exposing a first portion of the resist layer to a focused electron beam to form a modified first portion, the modified first portion defining a boundary of a second portion of the resist layer; performing a plasma treatment on a surface of the resist layer, including on a surface of the second portion of the resist layer to form a modified surface portion of the second portion of the resist layer, resulting in a plasma treated resist layer; and performing development of the plasma treated resist layer to form the patterned structure on the substrate corresponding the second portion of the resist layer.

A method of producing a molded product, the method including: pressing a mold having a surface including at least one of a concave part or a convex part against a photocurable positive electron beam resist; obtaining a molded product of the positive electron beam resist having a surface including a concave part and a convex part by irradiating the photocurable positive electron beam resist pressed against the resist with light to cure the resist; and partially decomposing the molded product of the positive electron beam resist in a region subjected to irradiation with an electron beam by irradiating the surface of the molded product of the positive electron beam resist with the electron beam.

A radiation-sensitive composition includes: a first polymer having a first structural unit that includes an acid-labile group; and a first compound including a metal cation and a first anion that is a conjugate base of an acid. The acid has a pKa of no greater than 0. The acid is preferably sulfonic acid, nitric acid, organic azinic acid, disulfonylimidic acid or a combination thereof. The first compound is preferably represented by formula (1). In the formula (1), M represents a metal cation; A represents the first anion; x is an integer of 1 to 6; R.sup.1 represents a σ ligand; and y is an integer of 0 to 5, and a sum: x+y is no greater than 6. The van der Waals volume of the acid is preferably no less than 2.5×10.sup.−28 m.sup.3.
[A.sub.xMR.sup.1.sub.y]  (1)

A resist underlayer film which has an excellent hard mask function and can form an excellent pattern shape. A resist underlayer film-forming composition to be used for a lithography process, including a novolac polymer obtained by reaction of an aldehyde compound and an aromatic compound having a secondary amino group. The novolac polymer contains a unit structure of Formula (1): ##STR00001##
A method for producing a semiconductor device, including the steps of: forming a resist underlayer film from the resist underlayer film-forming composition on a semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask on the resist underlayer film; further forming a resist film on the hard mask; forming a resist pattern by irradiation with light or an electron beam and development; etching the hard mask by using the formed resist pattern; etching the resist underlayer film by using the patterned hard mask; and processing the semiconductor substrate by using the patterned underlayer film.

A resist underlayer film not undergoing intermixing with a resist layer, having high dry etching and heat resistance, exhibiting high temperature low mass loss, and exhibiting even stepped substrate coatability, includes a polymer containing a unit structure of the formula (1): ##STR00001## The unit structure of formula (1) is a unit structure of the formula (2): ##STR00002## A method for producing a semiconductor device, includes forming, on a semiconductor substrate, a resist underlayer film using a resist underlayer film-forming composition, forming a hard mask on the resist underlayer film, a resist film on the hard mask, a resist pattern by irradiation with light or an electron beam and development of the resist film, a pattern by etching the hard mask using the resist pattern, a pattern by etching the underlayer film using the patterned hard mask, and processing the substrate using the patterned resist underlayer film.

A method for fabricating calcite channels in a nanofluidic device is described. A photoresist layer is coated onto a top surface of a silicon nitride (SiN) substrate. After coating the photoresist layer, the photoresist layer is scanned with an electron beam in a predefined pattern. The scanned photoresist is developed to expose portions of the top surface of the SiN substrate in the predefined pattern. Calcite is deposited in the predefined pattern using atomic layer deposition (ALD) using a calcite precursor gas. Using a solvent, a remaining portion of the photoresist layer is removed to expose the deposited calcite in the predefined pattern and on the top surface of the SiN substrate, where a width of the deposited calcite is in range from 50 to 100 nanometers (nm).

The present invention relates to resist compostions, in particular to photoresists that can be used in photolithography, especially in the fabrication of integrated circuits and derivative products. The resist compositions of the invention include an anti-scattering component which has a significant amount of empty space, and thus fewer scattering centers, such that radiation-scattering events are more limited during exposure. Such anti-scattering effects can lead to improved resolutions by reducing the usual proximity effects associated with lithographic techniques, allowing the production of smaller, higher resolution microchips. Furthermore, certain embodiments involve anti-scattering components which are directly linked to the resist components, which can improve the overall lithographic chemistry to provide benefits both in terms of resolution and resist sensitivity.

The present invention has a computation device for measuring the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample on the basis of a signal obtained from a charged particle beam device. The computation device has a positional deviation amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of positional deviation in a direction parallel to a wafer surface between two patterns having different heights on the basis of an image acquired at a given beam tilt angle; a pattern inclination amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of pattern inclination from the amount of positional deviation using a predetermined relational expression for the amount of positional deviation and the amount of pattern inclination; and a beam tilt control amount calculation unit for controlling the beam tilt angle so as to match the amount of pattern inclination. The pattern measurement device sets the beam tilt angle to a calculated beam tilt angle, reacquires an image and measures the patterns.

A vacuum apparatus includes: a chamber; and a transfer robot transferring a processing object into the chamber, wherein the transfer robot includes an arm portion, a support portion provided at a tip of the arm portion and having a lower thermal conductivity than the arm portion, a plate provided between the support portion and the processing object and having a higher thermal conductivity than the support portion, and a support pad provided on the support portion and supporting the processing object by being in contact with the processing object while separating the processing object from the plate, a contact region allowing the support portion and the plate to be in contact with each other therein and a space region separated the support portion and the plate from each other are provided between the support portion and the plate, and the plate includes a projection configured as the contact region.