US5344522A — Pattern forming process and process for preparing…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 113 words

A process for forming an etching pattern, comprising the steps of: selectively irradiating light to a clean surface of a material to be worked by etching, so as to form radicals from a photoradical forming substance in an atmosphere of the substance, the light having a wavelength not longer than the UV-ray absorption end of the photoradical forming substance; forming a modified portion having etching resistance at a photo-irradiated portion of the surface; and then subjecting an unmodified portion of the surface of the material to be worked to an etching treatment comprising dry etching using halogen atom radicals, thereby forming an etching pattern corresponding to a pattern formed by said light irradiation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 113 words

A process for forming an etching pattern, comprising the steps of: selectively irradiating light to a clean surface of a material to be worked by etching, so as to form radicals from a photoradical forming substance in an atmosphere of the substance, the light having a wavelength not longer than the UV-ray absorption end of the photoradical forming substance; forming a modified portion having etching resistance at a photo-irradiated portion of the surface; and then subjecting an unmodified portion of the surface of the material to be worked to an etching treatment comprising dry etching using halogen atom radicals, thereby forming an etching pattern corresponding to a pattern formed by said light irradiation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein the clean surface of said material to be worked by etching is formed by irradiating radicals obtained from at least one of the group consisting of hydrogen gas and inert gases to the surface of the material to be worked by etching.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 41 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein the clean surface of said material to be worked by etching forms the modified portion without exposing a thin film formed by a thin film forming method to air.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, further comprising forming the clean surface of the material to be worked by etching by modifying the surface of a thin film formed by a thin film forming method by irradiating the thin film with one of hydrogen ions and fluorine ions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein said photoradical forming substance is a substance for forming oxygen radicals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 5, wherein said photoradical forming substance is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ozone, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

A process for forming an etching pattern accoridng to claim 1, wherein the surface of said material to be worked comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, SiN, C, Ge, GaAs, Ti, Ta, Mo, W and Nb.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein said light irradiation is effected through a photomask.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein said dry etching is carried out by using at least one substance selected from the group consisting of Cl 2 , CF 3 Cl, CCl 4 and NF 3 .

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein said halogen atom radicals are selected from the group consisting of chlorine radicals and fluorine radicals.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 8, wherein said photomask has a light shielding pattern and a light absorbing member provided corresponding to said light shielding pattern.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 1, wherein the formation of said modified portion and said etching treatment are carried out in different treatment spaces.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 12, further comprising moving the material to be worked between the different treatment spaces through a conveying chamber adjacent to each of the treatment spaces.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 13, further comprising providing a gate valve between the conveying chamber and each of the treatment spaces.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 57 words

A process for forming an etching pattern, comprising the steps of: providing a resist pattern of a polymerized film formed by a CVD method on a clean surface of a material to be worked by etching; and then subjecting the surface of the material to be worked having the resist pattern provided thereon to an etching treatment.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 57 words

A process for forming an etching pattern, comprising the steps of: providing a resist pattern of a polymerized film formed by a CVD method on a clean surface of a material to be worked by etching; and then subjecting the surface of the material to be worked having the resist pattern provided thereon to an etching treatment.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 56 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the clean surface of said material to be worked by etching is formed by irradiating a plasma obtained from at least one selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas and inert gases to the surface of the material to be worked by etching.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 41 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the clean surface of said material to be worked by etching forms said resist pattern without exposing a thin film formed by a thin film forming method to air.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 53 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the clean surface of said material to be worked by etching is formed by modifying the surface of a thin film formed by a thin film forming method by irradiating the thin film with one of hydrogen ion and fluorine ions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 53 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein said step of providing a resist pattern comprises the steps of forming a polymerized film on the clean surface of the material to be worked by etching by a CVD method and selectively removing a desired portion of said polymerized film.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 64 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 19, wherein the selective removal of the desired portion from the polymerized film is carried out by irradiating light to the desired portion of said polymerized film in an atmosphere of a photoradical forming substance, thereby causing decomposition to remove the polymerized film at a portion irradiated with the light by the generated radicals.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 48 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 19, wherein the selective removal of the polymerized film at the desired portion is carried out by irradiating light capable of decomposing and removing said polymerized film by heat generation to the desired portion of said polymerized film.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 20, wherein the photoradical forming substance is one forming oxygen radicals.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 35 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 22, wherein the photoradical forming substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 44 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the polymerized film comprises a hydrocarbon compound of which at least a portion of the hydrogen thereof is substituted by at least one selected from the group consisting of fluorine and chlorine.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein said etching treatment is effected by using halogen element radicals.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 19 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein said etching treatment is a dry etching.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 26, wherein said dry etching is carried out by using a compound capable of generating halide radicals.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 27, wherein said halide radicals are selected from the group consisting of chlorine radicals and fluorine radicals.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 27, wherein said compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of Cl 2 , CF 3 Cl, CCl 4 and NF 3 .

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 20, wherein said light irradiation is effected through a photomask.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 31 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 30, wherein said photomask has a light shielding pattern and a light absorbing member provided corresponding to said light shielding pattern.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 33 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the formation of said resist pattern of the polymerized film and said etching treatment are carried out in different treatment spaces.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 32, further comprising moving the material to be worked between the different treatment spaces through a conveying chamber adjacent to each of the treatment spaces.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 33, further comprising providing a gate valve between the conveying chamber and each of the treatment spaces.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 39 words

A process for forming an etching pattern according to claim 15, wherein the surface of said material to be worked comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Cr, Au, CdS, GaAs and Ge.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 104 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: cleaning a surface of a substrate; depositing a film of one of a semiconductor, a metal and an insulator on the substrate cleaned in said cleaning; forming a mask by irradiating the substrate with a selected light to form a desired device structure on the film deposited in said depositing step; and effecting etching by using the mask formed in said forming step as a light shielding member, wherein each of the cleaning, depositing, forming and etching steps are consistently carried out in a state shielded from air and under a reduced pressure.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 104 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: cleaning a surface of a substrate; depositing a film of one of a semiconductor, a metal and an insulator on the substrate cleaned in said cleaning; forming a mask by irradiating the substrate with a selected light to form a desired device structure on the film deposited in said depositing step; and effecting etching by using the mask formed in said forming step as a light shielding member, wherein each of the cleaning, depositing, forming and etching steps are consistently carried out in a state shielded from air and under a reduced pressure.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 41 words

A process for preparing a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said selective light irradiating step is carried out in a reactive gas atmosphere to modify the surface of the film deposited on the substrate in said film depositing step.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 30 words

A process for preparing a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein a photoetching by selective photo-irradiation is effected in place of said mask forming step and said photoetching step.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 42 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said cleaning step is carried out by irradiating radicals obtained from at least one of the group consisting of hydrogen gas and inert gases to the surface of the substrate.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 36 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said mask forming step is carried out in an atmosphere of a substance that forms photoradicals by irradiation with light for forming the photoradicals.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 37 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 40, wherein said substance that forms photoradicals is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ozone, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 20 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said etching step is performed by dry etching.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 23 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 42, wherein said etching step is carried out by using halogen atom radicals.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 40 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein the surface of said substrate comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, SiN, C, Ge, GaAs, Ti, Ta, Mo, W and Nb.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 51 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said mask forming step is carried out in an atmosphere of a substance that forms photoradicals by irradiation with light for forming the photoradicals, the light having a wavelength not longer than the UV-ray absorption end of said substance.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 42 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 42, wherein said dry etching is carried out by using at least one substance selected from the group consisting of C1 2 , CF 3 C1, CC1 4 and NF 3 .

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 28 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said halogen atom radicals are selected from the group consisting of chlorine radicals and fluorine radicals.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 34 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein the light irradiation in said mask forming step is effected through a photomask having a light shielding pattern with a desired pattern.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 27 words

A process for forming a semiconductor device according to claim 48, wherein said photomask further has a light absorbing member provided corresponding to said light shielding pattern.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-09-05	1998-03-07	1998-09-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-09-05	2002-03-07	2002-09-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-09-05	2006-03-07	2006-09-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Pattern forming process and process for preparing semiconductor device utilizing said pattern forming process

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag