A resist underlayer film having a particularly high dry etching rate; a resist underlayer film-forming composition; a resist pattern forming method; and a semiconductor device production method. The resist underlayer film-forming composition contains a solvent and an epoxy adduct obtained by reacting a compound represented by formula (1) and an epoxy adduct-forming compound. The epoxy adduct-forming compound is one or more compounds selected from the group made of carboxylic acid-containing compounds, carboxylic anhydride-containing compounds, hydroxy group-containing compounds, thiol group-containing compounds, amino group-containing compounds, and imide group-containing compounds. ##STR00001##

An upper layer film-forming composition exhibits good solubility in hydrophobic solvents and can bring about vertical alignment of a block copolymer without dissolution, swelling or the like of a layer containing the block copolymer formed on a substrate. This upper layer film-forming composition is used for phase separation of a layer containing a block copolymer formed on a substrate, and contains: (A) a copolymer containing a unit structure derived from a maleimide structure (a) and a unit structure derived from a styrene structure; and (B) as a solvent, a non-aromatic hydrocarbon compound that is a liquid at normal temperature and pressure.

Methods of forming a silicon hardmask are disclosed. In one example, a method may include forming a silicon mask over a device layer, forming a carbon mask over the silicon mask, and forming an opening through the carbon mask. The method may further include forming an oxide layer within the opening by performing an ion implantation process to an upper surface of the silicon mask.

A photoresist includes a solvent, a polymer and an additive. The polymer is dissolved in the solvent, and the additive is dispersed in the solvent. The additive includes a double bond or includes an epoxy group. The additive has a surface tension different from a surface tension of the polymer.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including: forming a mask stack, wherein the substrate includes a first region and a second region with different active region densities and an adjacent region between the first region and the second region; forming, on the capping mask layer, a first etch pattern that does not cover the first region and is on the second region and the adjacent region; forming a capping mask line by removing a portion of the capping mask layer by using the first etch pattern as an etch mask; forming a second etch pattern on the capping mask; and forming a mask pattern by removing a portion of the mask stack by using the capping mask line and the second etch pattern as etch masks.

A composition for forming a protective film using a polymer having an imide group: cured under a film-forming condition in air and an inert gas; forming a protective film having excellent heat resistance, embedding and planarization ability for a pattern formed on a substrate, and good adhesiveness to the substrate; and forming a protective film having excellent resistance against an alkaline aqueous hydrogen peroxide. A composition for forming a protective film against alkaline aqueous hydrogen peroxide, including: (A) a polymer having a repeating unit represented by general formula (1A) having at least one or more fluorine atoms and at least one or more hydroxy groups, a terminal group is any one of the following general formulae (1B) and (1C); and organic solvent, wherein R.sub.1 represents any one group represented by the following formula (1D), and two or more kinds of R.sub.1 are optionally used in combination. ##STR00001##

In a method for preparing a cross section in a substrate, a cut face is created in the substrate with at least one focused ion beam, wherein before and during the creation of the cut face a surface region of the substrate on the edge of the cut face is protected with a hardmask that is made from a doped semiconductor material, provided as a separate part, and positioned on the edge of the cut face with at least one micromanipulator. The method is characterized in that the hardmask is not affixed to the substrate, but instead is held in place with the micromanipulator while the cut face is created. With the method, it is possible to reduce the processing time for creating the cross section and to avoid contamination of the surface by foreign materials in semiconductor manufacturing.

A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern includes hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. Some of the fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color and that leaves at least one fin of the first color behind. The fins of the second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.

A semiconductor device fabrication method includes forming a substrate having first and second regions therein, with different densities of active regions in the first and second regions. A cell trench is formed, which defines cell active regions in the first region, and a peripheral trench is formed, which defines peripheral active regions in the second region. A first insulating layer is formed in the cell trench and the peripheral trench. A mask is selectively formed, which covers the first insulating layer in the first region and exposes the first insulating layer in the second region. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer in the second region exposed by the mask, using a selective dielectric-on-dielectric deposition process. The first insulating layer is exposed in the first region by removing the mask. A third insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer in the first region and on the second insulating layer in the second region.

Semiconductor devices and corresponding methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method may include forming a first hardmask layer over a substrate. The method may include forming a second hardmask layer over the first hardmask layer. The method may include transferring a pattern from the second hardmask layer to the first hardmask layer, wherein the pattern in the first hardmask layer comprises a plurality of protruding structures, and each of the plurality of protruding structures has respective portions of its two sidewalls extending toward each other. The method may include depositing a modification layer extending along at least the respective portions of the sidewalls of each of the protruding structures. The method may include etching the substrate with the protruding structures and the modification layer both serving as a mask.