Method of manufacturing microelectronic devices having multifunctional photolithographic layers

Claim 2

A microlithographic process which uses a dye loaded binder for a multifunctional layer that requires no baking where the photoresist layer can be immediately applied to the said multifunctional layer comprising: a. preparing a multifunctional composition by dissolving a polymer and a light attenuating material in a selected solvent system, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of poly(vinylpyridine) and copolymers of poly(vinylpyridine) with ethylenically unsaturated comonomers selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkyl methacrylates alkyl(meth)acrylates, said light attenuating material is an organic dye with an absorbance at the wavelength used to expose the photoresist, typical exposure wavelengths are between 200 to 1,000 nanometers and said light attenuating material is inertly compatible with said polymer, and said solvent system consists of a solvent or mixture of solvents, with the individual solvents having a molecular weight of between about 84 and 122 and flash points of between about 28° C. and 55° C.; b. forming a multifunctional layer by applying said multifunctional composition onto a substrate; c. immediately thereafter forming a photoresist layer by applying a photoresist composition onto said multifunctional layer without prior processing to dry said multifunctional layer; d. imaging said photoresist layer by selectively exposing to light segments of said photoresist layer corresponding to a predetermined pattern, wherein said light is at a wavelength wherein said light attenuating material is a strong light absorber; e. developing the photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Claim 3

The microlithographic process of claim 1 wherein said multifunctional layer serves as an anti-reflective coating.

Claim 4

The microlithographic process of claim 1 wherein said polymer is a homopolymer or copolymer of poly(vinylpyridine) and said solvent system is selected from the group consisting of 1-methoxy-2-propanol, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone and ethyl lactate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

The microlithographic process of claim 1 wherein said is multifunctional formed by spin-coating said multifunctional composition onto said substrate at a film thickness of from about 500 to about 10,000 angstroms.

Claim 6

The microlithographic process of claim 1 wherein after exposure to light said photoresist is baked at from 85° C. to 120° C. diffusing the light attenuating material into the photoresist layer.

Claim 7

The improved microlithographic process of claim 1 wherein the absorbance band of light attenuating material matches the exposure band used to expose the photoresist and the index of refraction of the multifunctional layer matches the index of refraction of the photoresist layer at the exposure band used to expose said photoresist.

Claim 8

The improved microlithographic process of claim 1 including an additional step comprising removing the etched multifunctional layer and photoresist layer from the substrate in less than about 20 minutes leaving the etched substrate.

Claim 9

A microlithographic process which uses a dye loaded binder for a multifunctional layer that requires no baking where the photoresist layer can be immediately applied to the said multifunctional layer comprising: a. preparing a multifunctional composition by dissolving a polymer and a light attenuating material in a selected solvent system; wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylpyridine) and copolymers of poly(vinylpyridine) with ethylenically unsaturated comonomers selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkyl(meth)acrylates; said light attenuating material is selected from the group consisting of 6'Butoxy-2,6-diamino-3,3'-Axo dipyridine, Bismarck Brown R Base, Bixin, Calcofluor White RWP, Calcozine Yellow FW, 1,3 diphenalurea, Ceres Yellow GRN, Chrysiodine Yellow Base A, Hematoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester, Oil Yellow E-190, Reakt Yellow 186, Rhodamine B, Savinyl Yellow 5GLS and Waxoline Yellow RP FW, and mixtures thereof; and said solvent system consists of a solvent or mixture of solvents, with the individual solvents having a molecular weight of between about 84 and 122 and flash points of between about 28° C. and 55° C.; b. forming a multifunctional layer by applying said multifunctional composition onto a substrate; c. immediately thereafter forming a photoresist layer by applying a photoresist composition onto said multifunctional layer without prior processing to dry said multifunctional layer; d. imaging said photoresist layer by selectively exposing to light segments of said photoresist layer corresponding to a predetermined pattern, wherein said light is at a wavelength wherein said light attenuating material is a strong light absorber; e. developing the photoresist layer to form a pattern.

Claim 10

A microlithographic process which uses a dye loaded binder for a multifunctional layer that requires no baking where the photoresist layer can be immediately applied to the said multifunctional layer comprising: a. preparing a multifunctional composition by dissolving a polymer and a light attenuating material in a selected solvent system; wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylpyridine) and copolymers of poly(vinylpyridine) with ethylenically unsaturated comonomers selected from the group consisting of styrene and alkyl(meth)acrylates; said light attenuating material is selected from the group consisting of 6'Butoxy-2,6-diamino-3,3'-Axo dipyridine, Bismarck Brown R Base, Bixin, Calcofluor White RWP, Calcozine Yellow FW, 1,3 diphenalurea, Ceres Yellow GRN, Chrysiodine Yellow Base A, Hematoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester, Oil Yellow E-190, Reakt Yellow 186, Rhodamine B, Savinyl Yellow 5GLS and Waxoline Yellow RP FW, and mixtures thereof; and said solvent system consists of a solvent or mixture of solvents, with the individual solvents having a molecular weight of between about 84 and 122 and flash points of between about 28° C. and 55° C.; b. forming a multifunctional layer by applying said multifunctional composition onto a substrate; c. immediately thereafter forming a photoresist layer by applying a photoresist composition onto said multifunctional layer without prior processing to dry said multifunctional layer; d. imaging said photoresist layer by selectively exposing to light segments of said photoresist layer corresponding to a predetermined pattern, wherein said light is at a wavelength wherein said light attenuating material is a strong light absorber; e. developing the photoresist layer to form a pattern.