A method of processing a wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface is provided. The method includes the steps of: holding the second surface of the wafer such that the first surface thereof is exposed; processing an exposed first surface side of an outer circumferential edge portion of the wafer with a processing tool including a grinding stone made of abrasive grains bound together by a bonding material, thereby forming on the outer circumferential edge portion a slanted surface that is inclined to the first surface so as to be progressively closer to the second surface in a direction from a central area of the wafer toward an outer circumferential edge thereof; and coating the first surface of the wafer with a liquid material according to a spin coating process, thereby forming a resist film on the first surface of the wafer.

A film forming method is a method of forming a film on a substrate top face including a first region in which a metal or a semiconductor is exposed and a second region in which an insulator is exposed. The method includes a SAM forming process of forming a self-assembled monolayer film of a perfluoropolyether group-containing compound on the first region and a film growth process of forming a predetermined film on the second region after execution of SAM forming process.

A resist underlayer film-forming composition for lithography capable of being dry-etched during pattern transfer from the upper layer or during substrate processing and capable of being removed with an alkaline aqueous solution after the substrate processing. The composition includes a polymer (A) having an acrylamide structure or an acrylic acid ester structure; a polymer (B) having a blocked isocyanate structure; and a solvent (C). The polymer (A) is a polymer including a unit structure of Formula (1). The polymer (B) is a polymer including a unit structure of Formula (2). A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes steps for: forming a resist pattern; etching an inorganic hard mask layer with use of the resist pattern; etching a resist underlayer film with use of the pattered inorganic hard mask layer; and processing a semiconductor substrate with use of the pattered resist underlayer film. ##STR00001##

A method for producing an individualisation area includes providing at least a first level of the electrical tracks. The method includes depositing a dielectric layer and a deformable layer on the interconnection level. The method includes producing, in an area of the deformable layer, recessed patterns, by penetrating an imprint mould into the deformable layer, the production of the patterns being configured so that the patterns have a randomness in the deformable layer, thus forming random patterns. The method includes transferring the random patterns into the dielectric layer to form transferred random patterns therein and exposing the vias located in line with the transferred random patterns. The method includes filling the transferred random patterns with an electrically conductive material so as to form electrical connections between vias. The method includes producing a second level of the electrical tracks on the vias and the electrical connections.

The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate processing chamber, a substrate processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method for self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposition of low vapor pressure organic molecules (OM) followed by further substrate processing, such as atomic layer deposition.

Provided are a composition for forming an adhesive film for imprinting, including a resin having a specific aromatic ring and a polymerizable functional group in a side chain, in which the specific aromatic ring is an unsubstituted aromatic ring, or an aromatic ring having one or more substituents, in which a formula weight of each of the one or more substituents is 1000 or less, and a proportion of a polymerizable functional group including a heterocyclic ring in the polymerizable functional group is less than 3 mol %; an adhesive film to which the composition for forming an adhesive film is applied; a laminate; a method for manufacturing a laminate; a pattern producing method; and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor element.

A composition for pattern formation includes a first polymer, a second polymer and a solvent. The first polymer includes: a first block including a first structural unit derived from a substituted or unsubstituted styrene; and a second block including a second structural unit other than the first structural unit. The second polymer includes: the first structural unit; and a group bonding to at least one end of a main chain thereof and including a polar group. The polar group is preferably a hydroxy group or a carboxyl group. A number average molecular weight of the second polymer is preferably no greater than 6,000. A mass ratio of the second polymer to the first polymer is preferably no less than 0.15 and no greater than 0.4. The solvent preferably comprises a compound comprising a hydroxyl group and an alkyl ester group.

A system and method for cleaning mesa sidewalls of a template. Curable material may be deposited in a cleaning drop pattern onto a non-yielding imprint field of one of: a device yielding substrate; and a non-yielding substrate. The template may be brought into contact with the curable material. The template has: a recessed surface; a mesa extending from the recessed surface; and wherein the mesa sidewalls connect the recessed surface to the mesa. A relative position of the template to the cleaning drop pattern may be such that the curable material spreads up the mesa sidewalls and does not contact the recessed surface. Cured material may be formed by exposing the curable material to actinic radiation after the curable material has spread up the mesa sidewalls, and before the curable material contacts the recessed surface. The template may be separated from the cured material.

Methods for forming via openings by using a lamellar triblock copolymer, a polymer nanocomposite, and a mixed epitaxy approach are disclosed. An example method includes forming a guiding pattern (e.g., a topographical guiding pattern, chemical guiding pattern, or mixed guiding pattern) on a surface of a layer of an IC device, forming lamellar structures based on the guiding pattern by using the lamellar triblock copolymer or forming cylindrical structures based on the guiding pattern by using the polymer nanocomposite, and forming via openings by removing a lamella from each of at least some of the lamellar structures or removing a nanoparticle from each of at least some of the cylindrical structures.

A storage container storing a treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor is provided, wherein the occurrence of defects on the semiconductor, such as particles, is suppressed and a fine resist pattern or a fine semiconductor element is manufactured. The storage container includes a storage portion that stores the treatment liquid, wherein the treatment liquid includes one kind or two or more kinds of metal atoms selected from Cu, Fe, and Zn, and a total content of particulate metal that is a metal component derived from the metal atoms and that is a nonionic metal component present in the treatment liquid as a solid without being dissolved is 0.01 to 100 mass ppt with respect to a total mass of the treatment liquid.