A method of forming a masking element is provided. The method includes forming a photoresist material having a polymer backbone over a substrate, where the polymer backbone includes a linking group that links a first polymer segment to a second polymer segment, each of the first and the second polymer segments having an ultraviolet (UV) curable group. The method includes exposing the photoresist material under a first UV radiation to break the link between the first polymer segment and the second polymer segment. The method includes exposing the photoresist material under a second UV radiation different from the first UV radiation to form a patterned resist layer. And the method includes developing the patterned resist layer to form a masking element.

Organometallic radiation resist compositions are described based on tin ions with alkyl ligands. Some of the compositions have branched alkyl ligands to provide for improved patterning contrast while maintaining a high degree of solution stability. Blends of compounds with distinct alkyl ligands can provide further improvement in the patterning. High resolution patterning with a half-pitch of no more than 25 nm can be achieved with a line width roughness of no more than about 4.5 nm. Synthesis techniques have been developed that allow for the formation of alkyl tin oxide hydroxide compositions with very low metal contamination.

The invention relates to polysulfonamide compositions for use as redistribution layers as used in the manufacture of semiconductors and semiconductor packages. More specifically it relates to photoimageable polysulfonamide composition for redistribution applications. The invention also relates to the use of the compositions in semiconductor manufacture.

A process for producing a photoresist pattern comprising steps (1) to (5); (1) applying a photoresist composition onto a substrate, said photoresist composition comprising an acid generator and a resin which comprises a structural unit having an acid-liable group; (2) drying the applied composition to form a composition layer; (3) exposing the composition layer; (4) heating the exposed composition layer; and (5) developing the heated composition layer with a developer which comprises butyl acetate, wherein a distance of Hansen solubility parameters between the resin and butyl acetate is from 3.3 to 4.3, the distance is calculated from formula (1):

R=(4×(δd.sub.R−15.8).sup.2+(δp.sub.R−3.7).sup.2+(δh.sub.R−6.3).sup.2).sub.1/2   (1) in which δd.sub.R represents a dispersion parameter of the resin, δp.sub.R represents a polarity parameter of the resin, δh.sub.R represents a hydrogen bonding parameter of the resin, and R represents the distance, and a film retention ratio of the photoresist pattern relative to the composition layer is adjusted to 65% or more.

A photoresist composition comprising an acid generator and a resin which comprises one or more structural units (a1) derived from a monomer (a1) having an acid-liable group, all of monomers (a1) showing a distance of Hansen solubility parameters between the monomer (a1) and butyl acetate in the range of 3 to 5, the distance being calculated from formula (1):

R=(4×(δd.sub.m−15.8).sup.2+(δp.sub.m−3.7).sup.2+(δh.sub.m−6.3).sup.2).sup.1/2  (1)

in which δd.sub.m represents a dispersion parameter of a monomer, δp.sub.m represents a polarity parameter of a monomer, δh.sub.m represents a hydrogen bonding parameter of a monomer, and R represents a distance of Hansen solubility parameters, and at least one of the monomers (a1) showing a difference of R between the monomer (a1) and a compound in which an acid is removed from the monomer (a1) in the range of not less than 5.

A photoresist composition comprising an acid generator and a resin which comprises a structural unit having an acid-liable group, the acid generator generating an acid (I) or an acid (II): the acid (I) showing a hydrogen bonding parameter in the range of 12 (MPa).sup.1/2 to 15 (MPa).sup.1/2 and a polarity parameter in the range of 15 (MPa).sup.1/2 or more; the acid (II) showing a hydrogen bonding parameter in the range of 12 (MPa).sup.1/2 to 15 (MPa).sup.1/2, and a distance of Hansen solubility parameters between the acid (II) and γ-butyrolactone being 7.5 or less, and the distance being calculated from formula (1):

R=(4×(δd.sub.A−18).sup.2+(δp.sub.A−16.6).sup.2+(δh.sub.A−7.4).sup.2).sup.1/2  (1)

in which δd.sub.A represents a dispersion parameter of an acid, δp.sub.A represents a polarity parameter of an acid, δh.sub.A represents a hydrogen bonding parameter of an acid, and R represents a distance of Hansen solubility parameters between an acid and γ-butyrolactone.

A photosensitive resin composition comprising (A) a silphenylene and polyether structure—containing polymer and (B) a photoacid generator is coated onto a substrate to form a photosensitive resin coating which has improved substrate adhesion, a pattern forming ability, crack resistance, and reliability as protective film.

A material layer is formed over a substrate. A negative tone photoresist layer is formed over the material layer. An exposure process is performed to the negative tone photoresist layer. A post-exposure bake (PEB) process is performed to the negative tone photoresist layer. After the exposure process and the PEB process, the negative tone photoresist layer is treated with a solvent. The solvent contains a chemical having a greater dipole moment than n-butyl acetate (n-BA).

A method of lithography patterning includes forming a resist layer over a substrate and providing a radiation with a first exposure dose to define an opening to be formed in the resist layer. The opening is to have a target critical dimension CD.sub.1 after developed by a negativ-tone development (NTD) process. The method further includes exposing the resist layer to the radiation with a second exposure dose less than the first exposure dose and developing the resist layer in a negative-tone development process to remove unexposed portions of the resist layer, resulting in an opening between resist patterns. A critical dimension CD.sub.2 of the opening is greater than CD.sub.1 by a delta. The method further includes forming an interfacial layer on sidewalls of the resist patterns. The interfacial layer has a thickness that is substantially equal to half of the delta.

A carboxylic acid onium salt of formula (1) exerts a satisfactory acid diffusion control (or quencher) function. A resist composition comprising the carboxylic acid onium salt can be processed by DUV or EUV lithography to form a resist pattern with improved resolution, reduced LWR and minimal defects after development.

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