Method of creating patterned multilayer films for use in production of semiconductor circuits and systems

Claim 1

A method of creating patterned multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits, and systems wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying an imaging layer of polymeric material over the surface of at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (b) using radiation to create a latent image within said imaging layer; (c) developing said latent image to create a patterned layer of polymeric material over the surface of said at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (d) altering said developed, patterned layer of polymeric material so that it is capable of reacting with an organometallic reagent; and (e) reacting said patterned layer of polymeric material with an organometallic reagent in order to render said patterned layer of polymeric material etch resistant.

Claim 2

A method of creating patterned multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits, and systems wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying an imaging layer of polymeric material over the surface of at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (b) using radiation to create a latent image within said imaging layer; (c) developing said latent image to create a patterned layer of polymeric material over the surface of said at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (d) altering said developed, patterned layer of polymeric material so that it is capable of reacting with an organometallic reagent; and (e) reacting said patterned layer of polymeric material with an organometallic reagent in order to render said patterned layer of polymeric material etch resistant.

Claim 3

A method of creating patterned multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying an imaging layer of polymeric material over the surface of at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (b) using radiation to create a latent image within said imaging layer; (c) altering said imaged layer in order to promote subsequent development capabilities, and in order to enable the subsequently developed image to sufficiently react with organometallic reagents, or for either of the preceding purposes; (d) developing said altered image layer to create a patterned layer of polymeric material over the surface of said at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; and (e) reacting said patterned layer of polymeric material with an organometallic reagent in order to render said patterned layer of polymeric material etch-resistant.

Claim 4

A method of creating patterned multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying an imaging layer of polymeric material over the surface of at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; (b) using radiation to create a latent image within said imaging layer; (c) altering said imaged layer in order to promote subsequent development capabilities, and in order to enable the subsequently developed image to sufficiently react with organometallic reagents, or for either of the preceding purposes; (d) developing said altered image layer to create a patterned layer of polymeric material over the surface of said at least one underlaying layer of polymeric material; and (e) reacting said patterned layer of polymeric material with an organometallic reagent in order to render said patterned layer of polymeric material etch-resistant.

Claim 5

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to the surface of a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material with a reagent to alter its chemical structure or composition to produce a material with different development characteristics from the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material; (e) exposing at least the previously unexposed portions of the layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (f) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to remove the portions exposed in step (e), creating a pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; and (g) reacting said developed, patterned layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch resistant material.

Claim 6

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to the surface of a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material with a reagent to alter its chemical structure or composition to produce a material with different development characteristics from the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material; (e) exposing at least the previously unexposed portions of the layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (f) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to remove the portions exposed in step (e), creating a pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; and (g) reacting said developed, patterned layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch resistant material.

Claim 9

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to the surface of a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive polymeric material containing reactive functional groups in selected from the group consisting of OH, COOH, NH, and SH, over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material to alter its chemical structure and composition to produce a material with development characteristics different from the irradiated portion of the radiation-sensitive material; (e) exposing at least the previously unexposed portions of the layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (f) developing said latent image within said layer of radiation-sensitive material to remove the portions exposed in step (e), creating a pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (g) reacting said developed, patterned layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 10

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to the surface of a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive polymeric material containing reactive functional groups in selected from the group consisting of OH, COOH, NH, and SH, over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material to alter its chemical structure and composition to produce a material with development characteristics different from the irradiated portion of the radiation-sensitive material; (e) exposing at least the previously unexposed portions of the layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (f) developing said latent image within said layer of radiation-sensitive material to remove the portions exposed in step (e), creating a pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (g) reacting said developed, patterned layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 11

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material, which is not capable of significantly reacting with an organometallic reagent prior to irradiation, over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image containing reactive groups therein; (d) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a positive tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (e) exposing said developed, patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation in order to generate reactive groups therein; and (f) reacting said patterned, exposed layer of step (e) with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 12

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material, which is not capable of significantly reacting with an organometallic reagent prior to irradiation, over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image containing reactive groups therein; (d) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a positive tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (e) exposing said developed, patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation in order to generate reactive groups therein; and (f) reacting said patterned, exposed layer of step (e) with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 14

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material in order to produce a reacted material which is soluble in polar solvents or in an aqueous base; (e) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a positive tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (f) exposing said developed, patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (g) reacting the patterned, irradiated layer of step (f) to create a reacted material capable of reaction with an organometallic reagent; and (h) reacting said patterned, layer of step (g) with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 15

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising: (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation, in order to create a latent image therein; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material in order to produce a reacted material which is soluble in polar solvents or in an aqueous base; (e) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a positive tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (f) exposing said developed, patterned layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (g) reacting the patterned, irradiated layer of step (f) to create a reacted material capable of reaction with an organometallic reagent; and (h) reacting said patterned, layer of step (g) with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 18

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising; (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material in order to produce a reacted material which is soluble in polar solvents or in an aqueous base and which is capable of reacting with an organometallic reagent; (e) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a negative tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; and (f) reacting said developed layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 19

A method of producing multilayer films for use in the production of semiconductor circuits and systems, wherein at least one of said multilayers is etch-resistant, comprising; (a) applying at least one layer of polymeric material to a substrate; (b) applying a layer of radiation-sensitive material over the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; (c) exposing at least a portion of said layer of radiation-sensitive material to radiation; (d) reacting the irradiated portion of said radiation-sensitive material in order to produce a reacted material which is soluble in polar solvents or in an aqueous base and which is capable of reacting with an organometallic reagent; (e) developing said layer of radiation-sensitive material to create a negative tone pattern upon the surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material; and (f) reacting said developed layer with an organometallic reagent in order to create an etch-resistant material.

Claim 22

The method of claims 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 or 12 including an additional step wherein the pattern in said etch-resistant, patterned layer is transferred to at least one of said at least one layers of polymeric material, using an oxygen plasma or reactive ion etching.