Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiation-sensitive composition containing a compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation and a compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid; forming an acidic coating layer on the radiation-sensitive layer; pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer to a chemical radiation; and developing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer by removing exposed parts of the layers after the pattern exposing step.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiation-sensitive composition containing a compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation and a compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid; forming an acidic coating layer on the radiation-sensitive layer; pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer to a chemical radiation; and developing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer by removing exposed parts of the layers after the pattern exposing step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation is triphenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid is a copolymer of 4-tert-butoxycarbonylmethoxystylene and 4-vinylphenol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation in the radiation-sensitive composition is about 0.1 to 30 wt % based on the weight of the solid components of the composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the radiation-sensitive composition further contains an alkali-soluble polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein a mixing amount of the alkali-soluble polymer in the radiation-sensitive composition is not more than about 90 parts by weight with respect to a total of 100 parts by weight of the compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid, and the alkali-soluble polymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic coating layer comprises an acidic water-soluble polymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein the acidic water-soluble polymer is a methyl vinyl ethermaleic anhydride copolymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic coating layer comprises an organic acid and a water-soluble polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 9, wherein the organic acid is sulfosalicylic acid, and the watersoluble polymer is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic coating layer comprises an organic acid and an acidic water-soluble polymer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein the organic acid is sulfosalicylic acid, and the acidic water-soluble polymer is a methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic coating layer further contains a surfactant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the entire acidic coating layer is between about 10 and 1,000 nm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer are baked between the pattern-exposing step and the developing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein an aqueous alkaline solution is used as a developing solution in the development.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiationsensitive composition containing triphenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate and a copolymer of 4-tert-butoxycarbonylmethexystylene; forming a coating layer comprising a methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer on the radiation-sensitive layer; pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer to KrF excimer laser; and developing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer by using an aqueous alkaline solution after exposure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
77 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiationsensitive composition containing triphenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate and a copolymer of 4-tert-butoxycarbonylmethexystylene; forming a coating layer comprising a methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer on the radiation-sensitive layer; pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer to KrF excimer laser; and developing the radiation-sensitive layer and the acidic coating layer by using an aqueous alkaline solution after exposure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
123 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: (a) forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiation-sensitive composition containing a compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation and a compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid; (b) pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to a chemical radiation; and (c) developing the radiation-sensitive layer after exposure to obtain the pattern, in which an acidic coating layer is formed on the radiation-sensitive layer immediately after the step (a), followed by conducting the step (b) so as to shield the radiation-sensitive layer against contaminations in the process atmosphere and thereby prevent formation of a surface inhibition layer on the surface of the radiation-sensitive layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
123 words
A pattern forming method comprising the steps of: (a) forming, on a substrate, a radiation-sensitive layer comprising as a main component a radiation-sensitive composition containing a compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to a chemical radiation and a compound having at least one linkage decomposable by an acid; (b) pattern-exposing the radiation-sensitive layer to a chemical radiation; and (c) developing the radiation-sensitive layer after exposure to obtain the pattern, in which an acidic coating layer is formed on the radiation-sensitive layer immediately after the step (a), followed by conducting the step (b) so as to shield the radiation-sensitive layer against contaminations in the process atmosphere and thereby prevent formation of a surface inhibition layer on the surface of the radiation-sensitive layer.