Method of X-ray lithography

Claim 1

A method of litography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to an electromagnetic wave such that an image is formed by irradiating said wave at selected parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a predetermined value and developing said resist layer, selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer by said wave in an amount of irradiation that is less than said predetermined value, whereby a first portion in said first section of said resist layer is substantially irradiated but the amount of said selective irradiation is smaller than said predetermined value and a second portion in said first section of said resist layer, other than said first portion, is not substantially irradiated, repeating the same selective irradiation at other sections of said resist layer, and subsequently uniformly irradiating said entire resist layer by said wave to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective first portions, before developing said resist layer, is above said predetermined value and the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective second portions is below said predetermined value.

Claim 2

A method of litography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to an electromagnetic wave such that an image is formed by irradiating said wave at selected parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a predetermined value and developing said resist layer, selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer by said wave in an amount of irradiation that is less than said predetermined value, whereby a first portion in said first section of said resist layer is substantially irradiated but the amount of said selective irradiation is smaller than said predetermined value and a second portion in said first section of said resist layer, other than said first portion, is not substantially irradiated, repeating the same selective irradiation at other sections of said resist layer, and subsequently uniformly irradiating said entire resist layer by said wave to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective first portions, before developing said resist layer, is above said predetermined value and the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective second portions is below said predetermined value.

Claim 6

A method of an X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a negative type resist layer formed on said substrate, said negative type resist layer having a sensitivity value which is characterized in that after the development and the rinsing of said negative type resist layer which has been irradiated by X-rays in an amount equal to said sensitivity value, the thickness of said negative type resist layer becomes one half of the initial thickness, performing a first irradiation with X-rays on entire sections of said negative X-ray resist layer without interposing any X-ray mask between an X-ray source and said negative X-ray resist layer such that the amount of X-rays is below said sensitivity value, interposing an X-ray mask between said negative type X-ray resist layer, and said X-ray source, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrane supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free of said X-ray absorber pattern, performing a second irradiation with X-rays on one section of said X-ray resist layer through said X-ray mask such that the sum of the amount of said X-ray irradiation by said first and second steps of irradiating X-rays is above said sensitive value at a first portion of said negative X-ray resist layer under said X-ray transmitting section of said X-ray mask, and below said sensitive value at a second portion of said negative X-ray resist layer under said X-ray absorber section of said X-ray mask, and repeating a third irradiation with X-rays on another section of said X-ray resist layer, said third irradiation being conducted in the same manner as said second irradiation.

Claim 7

A method of an X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a negative type resist layer formed on said substrate, said negative type resist layer having a sensitivity value which is characterized in that after the development and the rinsing of said negative type resist layer which has been irradiated by X-rays in an amount equal to said sensitivity value, the thickness of said negative type resist layer becomes one half of the initial thickness, performing a first irradiation with X-rays on entire sections of said negative X-ray resist layer without interposing any X-ray mask between an X-ray source and said negative X-ray resist layer such that the amount of X-rays is below said sensitivity value, interposing an X-ray mask between said negative type X-ray resist layer, and said X-ray source, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrane supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free of said X-ray absorber pattern, performing a second irradiation with X-rays on one section of said X-ray resist layer through said X-ray mask such that the sum of the amount of said X-ray irradiation by said first and second steps of irradiating X-rays is above said sensitive value at a first portion of said negative X-ray resist layer under said X-ray transmitting section of said X-ray mask, and below said sensitive value at a second portion of said negative X-ray resist layer under said X-ray absorber section of said X-ray mask, and repeating a third irradiation with X-rays on another section of said X-ray resist layer, said third irradiation being conducted in the same manner as said second irradiation.

Claim 11

A method of short wavelength X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to said short wavelength X-ray such that a pattern of said resist layer is formed by irradiating said X-rays on selective parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a sensitivity value of said resist layer and developing said resist layer, interposing an X-ray mask between said resist layer and an X-ray source, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrane supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free of said X-ray absorber pattern, selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer by said X-rays through said mask in an amount of irradiation that is less than said sensitivity value, whereby a first portion in said first section of said resist layer is substantially irradiated but the amount of said irradiation is smaller than said sensitivity value and a second portion in said first section of said resist layer, other than said first portion, is not substantially irradiated, repeating the same selective irradiation through said mask on a second section of said resist layer, and without a development treatment, and subsequently uniformly irradiating said entire resist layer by said X-rays to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on respective said first portions is above said sensitivity value and the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective second portions is below said sensitivity value.

Claim 12

A method of short wavelength X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to said short wavelength X-ray such that a pattern of said resist layer is formed by irradiating said X-rays on selective parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a sensitivity value of said resist layer and developing said resist layer, interposing an X-ray mask between said resist layer and an X-ray source, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrane supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free of said X-ray absorber pattern, selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer by said X-rays through said mask in an amount of irradiation that is less than said sensitivity value, whereby a first portion in said first section of said resist layer is substantially irradiated but the amount of said irradiation is smaller than said sensitivity value and a second portion in said first section of said resist layer, other than said first portion, is not substantially irradiated, repeating the same selective irradiation through said mask on a second section of said resist layer, and without a development treatment, and subsequently uniformly irradiating said entire resist layer by said X-rays to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on respective said first portions is above said sensitivity value and the accumulated amount of irradiation on said respective second portions is below said sensitivity value.

Claim 16

A method of an X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a positive type resist layer formed on said substrate, said positive type resist layer having a sensitivity value which is characterized in that after the development and rinsing of said positive type resist layer which has been irradiated by X-rays in an amount equal to said sensitivity value, the thickness of said positive type resist layer becomes equal to zero, performing a first step of irradiating X-rays on said positive X-ray resist layer without interposing any X-ray mask between an X-ray source and said positive X-ray resist layer such that an amount of X-rays below said sensitivity value irradiates the entire surface of said positive X-ray resist layer, setting an X-ray mask above a first section of said positive type X-ray resist layer, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrance supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free from said X-ray absorber pattern, and performing a second step of irradiating X-rays on said first section of said X-ray resist layer through said X-ray mask such that the sum of said X-rays by said first and second steps of irradiating X-rays is greater than said sensitive value at a first portion of said positive X-ray resist layer under said X-ray transmitting section of said X-ray mask, and below said sensitive value at a second portion of said positive type X-ray resist layer under said X-ray absorber section of said X-ray mask, setting said X-ray mask above a second section of said positive type X-ray resist layer, and performing a third step of irradiating X-rays on said second section of said X-ray resist layer through said mask, said third step of irradiating X-rays being conduct in the same manner as said second step of irradiating X-rays.

Claim 17

A method of an X-ray lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a positive type resist layer formed on said substrate, said positive type resist layer having a sensitivity value which is characterized in that after the development and rinsing of said positive type resist layer which has been irradiated by X-rays in an amount equal to said sensitivity value, the thickness of said positive type resist layer becomes equal to zero, performing a first step of irradiating X-rays on said positive X-ray resist layer without interposing any X-ray mask between an X-ray source and said positive X-ray resist layer such that an amount of X-rays below said sensitivity value irradiates the entire surface of said positive X-ray resist layer, setting an X-ray mask above a first section of said positive type X-ray resist layer, said X-ray mask having a support member, a membrance supported by said support member and an X-ray absorber pattern provided on said membrane to form an X-ray absorber section where said X-ray absorber pattern is present and an X-ray transmitting section which is free from said X-ray absorber pattern, and performing a second step of irradiating X-rays on said first section of said X-ray resist layer through said X-ray mask such that the sum of said X-rays by said first and second steps of irradiating X-rays is greater than said sensitive value at a first portion of said positive X-ray resist layer under said X-ray transmitting section of said X-ray mask, and below said sensitive value at a second portion of said positive type X-ray resist layer under said X-ray absorber section of said X-ray mask, setting said X-ray mask above a second section of said positive type X-ray resist layer, and performing a third step of irradiating X-rays on said second section of said X-ray resist layer through said mask, said third step of irradiating X-rays being conduct in the same manner as said second step of irradiating X-rays.

Claim 21

A method of lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to an electromagnetic wave such that an image is formed by irradiating said wave at selective parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a sensitivity level of said resist layer and developing said resist layer. uniformly irradiating said resist layer by said wave such that the amount of said uniform irradiation is smaller than said sensitivity level, subsequently selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer which has been irradiated by said uniform irradiation to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on a first portion in said first section is above said sensitivity level and the accumulated amount of irradiation on a second portion in said first section is below said sensitivity level, and repeating said selective irradiation at a second section of said resist layer which has been irradiated by said uniform irradiation.

Claim 22

A method of lithography comprising steps of: preparing a workpiece having a substrate and a resist layer formed on said substrate, said resist layer having a sensitivity to an electromagnetic wave such that an image is formed by irradiating said wave at selective parts of said resist layer in an amount of irradiation that is greater than a sensitivity level of said resist layer and developing said resist layer. uniformly irradiating said resist layer by said wave such that the amount of said uniform irradiation is smaller than said sensitivity level, subsequently selectively irradiating a first section of said resist layer which has been irradiated by said uniform irradiation to an extent that the accumulated amount of irradiation on a first portion in said first section is above said sensitivity level and the accumulated amount of irradiation on a second portion in said first section is below said sensitivity level, and repeating said selective irradiation at a second section of said resist layer which has been irradiated by said uniform irradiation.