A composition for forming an organic film contains a polymer having a repeating unit shown by formula (1A) as a partial structure, and an organic solvent, where AR.sub.1 and AR.sub.2 represent a benzene ring or naphthalene ring optionally with a substituent; W.sub.1 represents any in formula (1B), and the polymer optionally contains two or more kinds of W.sub.1; W.sub.2 represents a divalent organic group having 1 to 80 carbon atoms; R.sub.1 represents a monovalent organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and an unsaturated bond; and R.sub.2 represents a monovalent organic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and one or more aromatic rings. This invention provides: an organic film composition which enables excellent film formability, high etching resistance, and excellent twisting resistance without impairing the resin-derived carbon content, and which contains less outgassing-causing sublimation component; a patterning process using the composition; and a polymer suitable for the composition. ##STR00001##

Techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for promoting adhesion between a substrate and a metal-containing photoresist. For instance, the method may include receiving the substrate in a reaction chamber, the substrate having a first material exposed on its surface, the first material including a silicon-based material and/or a carbon-based material; generating a plasma from a plasma generation gas source that is substantially free of silicon, where the plasma includes chemical functional groups; exposing the substrate to the plasma to modify the surface of the substrate by forming bonds between the first material and chemical functional groups from the plasma; and depositing the metal-containing photoresist on the modified surface of the substrate, where the bonds between the first material and the chemical functional groups promote adhesion between the substrate and the metal-containing photoresist.

Methods and apparatuses for minimizing line edge/width roughness in lines formed by photolithography are provided. In one example, a method of processing a substrate includes applying a photoresist layer comprising a photoacid generator to on a multi-layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the multi-layer comprises an underlayer formed from an organic material, inorganic material, or a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer unprotected by a photomask to a radiation light in a lithographic exposure process, and applying an electric field or a magnetic field to alter movement of photoacid generated from the photoacid generator substantially in a vertical direction.

A temperature controlling apparatus includes a platen, a first and a second conduits, and a first and a second outlet thermal sensors. The first conduit includes a first inlet, a first outlet, and a first heater. A first fluid enters the first inlet and exits the first outlet, the first heater heats the first fluid to a first heating temperature, and the first fluid is dispensed on the platen. The second conduit includes a second inlet, a second outlet, and a second heater. A second fluid enters the second inlet and exits the second outlet, the second heater heats the second fluid to a second heating temperature, and the second fluid is dispensed on the platen. The first and the second outlet thermal sensors are respectively disposed at the first and the second outlets to sense temperatures of the first and the second fluid.

A method includes forming a bottom layer over a semiconductor substrate, where the bottom layer includes a polymer bonded to a first cross-linker and a second cross-linker, the first cross-linker being configured to be activated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the second cross-linker being configured to be activated by heat at a first temperature. The method then proceeds to exposing the bottom layer to a UV source to activate the first cross-linker, resulting in an exposed bottom layer, where the exposing activates the first cross-linker. The method further includes baking the exposed bottom layer, where the baking activates the second cross-linker.

A pattern formation method includes: forming a photosensitive hard mask made of a transition metal oxide film on a surface of a substrate; exposing the photosensitive hard mask to EUV light in a desired pattern; causing a state change in an exposed region by heat generated during exposure; and selectively removing either a region where the state change has occurred or a region where the state change has not occurred.

A hard mask-forming composition which forms a hard mask used in lithography, including: a resin containing an aromatic ring and a polar group; and a compound containing at least one of an oxazine ring fused to an aromatic ring, and a fluorene ring.

A resist underlayer composition and a method of forming patterns using a resist underlayer composition, the resist underlayer composition including a polymer, the polymer including a structural unit that is a reaction product of an isocyanurate compound, the isocyanurate compound having at least one thiol group thereon, and a solvent.

Provided is a resist underlayer film-forming composition that is used in a lithographic process in semiconductor manufacturing and has excellent storage stability. The resist underlayer film-forming composition contains: a polymer having a disulfide bond in a main chain; a radical trapping agent; and a solvent. The radical trapping agent is preferably a compound having a ring structure or a thioether structure. The ring structure is preferably an aromatic ring structure having 6-40 carbon atoms or a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a light- or heat-curing method by which a cured product (crosslinked product or resin) can be prepared in a simple method even in a case where filler is contained in a large amount; a curable resin composition which is used in the curing method; and the like. The present invention provides a light- or heat-curing method containing a step 1 of obtaining (E) a condensate having constitutional units of Si—O—Al and/or Si—O—Si, obtained from aluminum derived from an aluminum alkoxide and a silane derived from a silane coupling agent having a mercapto group, from (A) a compound that is formed of a salt of a carboxylic acid and an amine and has a carbonyl group generating a radical and a carboxylate group generating a base through decarboxylation by irradiation with light or heating, the (B) aluminum alkoxide, the (C) silane coupling agent having a mercapto group, and (D) water, and a step 2 of performing a reaction among the (E) condensate, (H) a compound having two or more polymerizable unsaturated groups, and (I) filler under the conditions of irradiation with light or heating in the presence of the (A) compound; a curable resin composition which is used in the curing method; and the like.