A composition includes: a compound including an aromatic hydrocarbon ring structure, and a partial structure represented by formula (1) which bonds to the aromatic hydrocarbon ring structure; and a solvent. The aromatic hydrocarbon ring structure has no fewer than 25 carbon atoms. In the formula (1), X represents a group represented by formula (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv); and *'s denote binding sites to two adjacent carbon atoms constituting the aromatic hydrocarbon ring structure. A method of producing a patterned substrate, includes applying the composition directly or indirectly on a substrate to form a resist underlayer film; forming a resist pattern directly or indirectly on the resist underlayer film; and carrying out etching using the resist pattern as a mask. ##STR00001##

An array of semiconductor fins is formed on a top surface of a substrate. A dielectric material liner is formed on the surfaces of the array of semiconductor fins. A photoresist layer is applied and patterned such that sidewalls of an opening in the photoresist layer are parallel to the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins, and are asymmetrically laterally offset from a lengthwise direction passing through the center of mass of a semiconductor fin to be subsequently removed. An angled ion implantation is performed to convert a top portion of dielectric material liner into a compound material portion. The compound material portion is removed selective to the remaining dielectric material liner, and the physically exposed semiconductor fin can be removed by an etch or converted into a dielectric material portion by a conversion process. The dielectric material liner can be removed after removal of the semiconductor fin.

A film formation method of forming a planarized film on a substrate, includes bringing a circular region of a mold, in which the planarized film should be formed, into contact with a composition on the substrate, performing alignment between the substrate and the mold in a state in which the composition and the mold are in contact, and applying curing energy to the composition after the performing alignment, wherein after a part of the mold contacts the composition in the bringing the mold into contact with the composition, the performing alignment is started before an entire surface of the circular region of the mold contacts the composition.

According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes forming a first resin pattern on a substrate with a first resin. The first resin pattern includes a first transfer pattern and a first mark. A second resin is dispensed to cover the first mark of the first resin pattern. A first pattern is formed including the first transfer pattern and the second resin covering the first mark. The first pattern is then transferred to a first process film on the substrate.

A substrate processing method includes (a) providing a substrate including an underlying film and a metal-containing resist film in which a pattern is formed on the underlying film; (b) forming a metal-containing film on a surface of the metal-containing resist film; and (c) removing a residue of the metal-containing film together with at least a part of the metal-containing film.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A photoresist layer is formed over a material layer on a substrate. The photoresist layer is exposed. An organic treatment is performed to the photoresist layer by a hydrophobic organic compound. After performing the organic treatment, the photoresist layer is developed. The material layer is etched using the photoresist layer as a mask.

A method of microfabrication includes providing a substrate having an existing pattern, wherein the existing pattern comprises features formed within a base layer such that a top surface of the substrate has features uncovered and the base layer is uncovered, depositing a selective attachment agent on the substrate, wherein the selective attachment agent includes a solubility-shifting agent, depositing a first resist on the substrate, activating the solubility shifting agent such that a portion of the first resist becomes insoluble to a first developer, developing the first resist using the first developer such that a relief pattern comprising openings is formed, wherein the openings expose the features of the existing layer, and executing a selective growth process that grows a selective-deposition material on the features and within the openings of the relief pattern to provide self-aligned selective deposition features.

The present invention provides a photosensitive resin composition which contains (A) a polyimide precursor that has a repeating structure represented by formula (1), and (B) a photoradical initiator. (In formula (1), X1 represents a tetravalent organic group; Y1 represents a divalent organic group; m represents an integer of 1 or more; R1 and R2 each represent a hydrogen atom, a radically polymerizable group or an organic group represented by formula (2). In formula (2), R3, R4 and Rz each independently represent a monovalent organic group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms and not containing a fluorine atom, or alternatively, in cases where one of the R3, R4 and Rz moieties is a hydrogen atom, the other moieties are each a monovalent organic group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms and not containing a fluorine atom, and at least one of the other moieties has a branched chain or a cyclic structure.)

A method for producing a device including a deposition of a first resin layer of lithography above or on a protective layer such that the protective layer is included between a conductive layer and the first resin layer; a first lithography of the first resin layer, the protective layer and the conductive layer; preserving, in at least one preserving area of the first lithography, the superposition of the first resin layer, the protective layer and the conductive layer, and depositing, at least on the at least one preserving area of the first lithography, a second resin layer of lithography without removing the first resin layer; a second lithography of the second resin and the first resin, in particular for the production of electrodes. One of the possible aims is to obtain a device without introducing an impurity into the conductive layer.

Process condition management facilitates the combination of dry development and etching into a single process chamber; eliminating the necessity for a post-dry development bake step during semiconductor manufacturing. Methods and apparatuses for rapidly instituting a large drop in process chamber pressure allow thermal dry development and an O.sub.2 flash treatment or thermal dry development and plasma hardmask open operations to take place without wafer transfer.