Resist composition and method of forming fine pattern using the same

• Main Authors: MOON, JOO-TAE, CHOI, SANG-JUN, KANG, YOOL, CHUNG, JEONG-HEE, WOO, SANG-GYUN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.09.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHYSICS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING

The present invention provides a resist composition used for forming a fine photoresist pattern and a method thereof. The method is able to form patterns having small feature sizes of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 mum. The resist composition comprises a resist solution needed for forming a photoresist pattern by photolithography process and a crosslinking agent capable of causing a partial crosslinking reaction of the resist solution by heat treatment at the glass transition temperature or softening start temperature of the resist solution or above to obtain the objective resist composition. The method for forming a fine pattern in a semiconductor substrate comprises coating a target layer to be etched on a semiconductor substrate with a resist composition so as to form a resist composition layer; then performing a lithography process on the resist compound layer to form a photoresist pattern of at least one opening having a first width, wherein the target layer is exposed through the first width; and heating the substrate having the photoresist pattern formed therein to a temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition temperature or softening start temperature of the resist solution, so that the resist solution flows and a partial cross-linking reaction in the resist solution occurs, resulting in a modified photoresist pattern having openings, each opening having a second width which exposes the target layer, wherein the second width is smaller than the first width.