U.S. patent application number 09/317855 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-18 for patterning method in semiconductor device fabricating process.
Invention is credited to ITO, KATSUYUKI.
Application Number | 20010031425 09/317855 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 15327905 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010031425 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ITO, KATSUYUKI |
October 18, 2001 |
PATTERNING METHOD IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FABRICATING PROCESS
Abstract
In a semiconductor device fabricating process, a chemical
amplification resist layer is formed on an insulating film formed
on a semiconductor substrate, and the chemical amplification resist
layer is patterned to form an opening. The insulating film formed
on the semiconductor substrate is wet-etched using the patterned
chemical amplification resist layer as a mask. Before the
wet-etching is carried out, a surface treatment is conducted for
the patterned chemical amplification resist layer to form an
insoluble layer at a surface of the patterned chemical
amplification resist layer, thereby to elevate a
wet-etching-resistance of the patterned chemical amplification
resist layer. Thus, deformation of a resist pattern formed of the
patterned chemical amplification resist layer is prevented in the
wet etching process, so that an opening pattern of a desired shape
is formed in the insulating film.
Inventors: |
ITO, KATSUYUKI; (TOKYO,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGINN & GIBB, PLLC
8321 OLD COURTHOUSE ROAD
SUITE 200
VIENNA
VA
22182-3817
US
|
Family ID: |
15327905 |
Appl. No.: |
09/317855 |
Filed: |
May 25, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
430/313 ;
257/E21.038; 257/E21.257; 430/314; 430/317; 438/748; 438/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/0337 20130101;
H01L 21/31144 20130101; G03F 7/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
430/313 ;
430/314; 430/317; 438/94; 438/748 |
International
Class: |
G03C 005/00; H01L
021/302; H01L 021/461 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 25, 1998 |
JP |
10-142970 |
Claims
1. In a semiconductor device fabricating process, a patterning
method including the steps of forming a chemical amplification
resist layer on a film formed on a semniconductor substrate,
patterning said chemical amplification resist layer, and
wet-etching said film formed on said semiconductor substrate using
the patterned chemical amplification resist layer as a mask,
wherein before the wet-etching is carried out, a surface treatment
is conducted for said patterned chemical amplification resist layer
to elevate a wet-etching-resistance of said patterned chemical
amplification resist layer.
2. A patterning method claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface
treatment for elevating the wet-etching-resistance of said
patterned chemical amplification resist layer is to form, on a
surface of said patterned chemical amplification resist layer, a
protection film which is insoluble or hard-dissolving to a wet
etching liquid.
3. A patterning method claimed in claim 2 wherein said protection
film is formed by spin-coating said surface of said patterned
chemical amplification resist layer with a liquid which is obtained
by dissolving a few % to few ten % of Novorak resin into a
solvent.
4. A patterning method claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface
treatment for elevating the wet-etching-resistance of said
patterned chemical amplification resist layer is to treat a surface
of said patterned chemical amplification resist layer with a strong
alkali liquid.
5. A patterning method claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface
treatment for elevating the wet-etching-resistance of said
patterned chemical amplification resist layer is to expose a
surface of said patterned chemical amplification resist layer to
plasma.
6. A patterning method claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface
treatment for elevating the wet-etching-resistance of said
patterned chemical amplification resist layer is to irradiate, onto
a surface of said patterned chemical amplification resist layer, a
radiation different from a radiation of an exposure radiation
source used for patterning said chemical amplification resist
layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a patterning method in a
semiconductor device fabricating process, and more specifically to
a method for patterning a film on a semiconductor substrate by a
wet etching.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] In a semiconductor device fabricating process, a Novorak
resin is conventionally used in a step for forming in an insulating
film a contact hole for interconnecting an upper level conducting
film and a lower level conducting film. However, in order to
realize a high throughput and a high level of microfabrication, it
is necessary to use a chemical amplification resist in patterning
the insulating film.
[0005] One example of the patterning method using the chemical
amplification resist is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application
Pre-examination Publication No. JP-A-07-120934 (an English abstract
of JP-A-07-120934 is available and the content of the English
abstract is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this
application). This prior art example proposes a chemical
amplification resist developing method for preventing a socalled "T
top" which is generated at the time of patterning a conductor by
using a positive photoresist. It was discovered that a cause for
generation of the "T top" is a hard-dissolving layer formed on a
surface of a selectively exposed positive chemical amplification
resist layer When the selectively exposed positive chemical
amplification resist layer is developed, first, the development is
carried out by using a first developing solution including an
activator for elevating affinity to the chemical amplification
resist material, until the hard-dissolving layer is dissolved, and
thereafter, the development is continued by using a second
developing solution including no activator and therefore having a
highly selective dissolving property until the development is
completed. Thus, the positive chemical amplification resist pattern
having a desired shape can be formed. If an underlying conductor
layer (a material layer to be etched) is patterned by using the
positive chemical amplification resist pattern thus formed, there
is obtained a conductor layer patterned to have a desired line
width with no difference between the line width of the positive
chemical amplification resist pattern (width of "T top") and the
line width of an actually etched conductor layer, namely with no
so-called conversion difference.
[0006] However, when an interconnecting contact hole is formed in
an insulating film, which is different from the case of patterning
the conductor, It was found out that the following problem has been
encountered. If the lithography using the chemical amplification
resist is carried out without modifying a process which was carried
out using the Novorak resist in the prior art, the shape of an
opening formed in the chemical amplification resist layer has
deformed before a step of forming a metal film on a patterned
insulating film by means of a CVD (chemical vapor deposition)
process or a sputtering. As a result, a desired contact hole could
not formed in the insulating film. Under this condition, a metal
film cannot be formed in the inside of the contact hole as desired,
with the result that a satisfactory electrical interconnection
cannot be obtained between an upper level conducting layer and a
lower level conducting layer.
[0007] A cause for the deformation of the chemical amplification
resist layer is considered to be that the insulating film is
wet-etched using the chemical amplification resist layer as a mask.
As described in detail in Paragraph Nos. 0006 and 0007 of the above
referred JP-A-07-120934, the chemical amplification resist is a
high-resolution, high-sensitivity resist utilizing a catalytic
reaction of acid generated in a portion selectively exposed by an
exposure light source, and on the other hand, a wet etching liquid
used for patterning the insulating film is a strong acid.
Therefore, if the chemical amplification resist is brought into
contact with the wet etching liquid, the acid catalytic reaction is
easy to occur at a contact surface. As a result, the opening
pattern formed in the chemical amplification resist layer by the
lithography step becomes deformed in the wet etching step
succeeding to the lithography step.
[0008] In particular, in the case that an insulating layer is
formed in two layers for planarization and an upper level
insulating film is wet-etched and succeedingly a lower level
insulating film is dry-etched, when a baking is conducted after the
wet-etching, diffusion of acid is promoted by a heat of the baking,
so that a heavy deformation of the pattern occurs, with the result
that the opening formed in the chemical amplification resist layer
is often filled up. In this condition, a contact hole is not formed
in the lower level insulating film of the double-layer insulating
film, so that the upper level conducting film and the lower level
conducting filn cannot be interconnected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a patterning method using a chemical amplification resist
as a mask, which has overcome the above mentioned defect of the
prior art semiconductor device fabricating process.
[0010] According to the present invention, in a semiconductor
device fabricating process, there is provided a patterning method
including the steps of forming a chemical amplification resist
layer on a film formed on a semiconductor substrate, patterning the
chemical amplification resist layer, and wet-etching the film
formed on the semiconductor substrate using the patterned chemical
amplification resist layer as a mask, wherein before the
wet-etching is carried out, a surface treatment is conducted for
the patterned chemical amplification resist layer to elevate a
wet-etching-resistance of the patterned chemical amplification
resist layer.
[0011] The surface treatment for elevating the
wet-etching-resistance of the patterned chemical amplification
resist layer is, for example, to form, on a surface of the
patterned chemical amplification resist layer, a protection film
which is insoluble or hard-dissolving to a wet etching liquid, or
to treat a surface of the patterned chemical amplification resist
layer with a strong alkali liquid, or to expose a surface of the
patterned chemical amplification resist layer to plasma, or to
irradiate, onto a surface of the patterned chemical amplification
resist layer, a radiation different from a radiation of an exposure
radiation source used for patterning the chemical amplification
resist layer.
[0012] As mentioned above, when an insulating film formed on a
semiconductor substrate is wet-etched using a patterned chemical
amplification resist layer as a mask, after a protecting film
insoluble or hard-dissolving to a wet-etching liquid is previously
formed at a surface of the patterned chemical amplification resist
layer, to elevate a wet-etching-resistance of the patterned
chemical amplification resist layer, the wet-etching is actually
carried out. Thus, the above mentioned pattern deformation of the
patterned chemical amplification resist layer caused by the wet
etching is prevented so that an opening pattern of a desired shape
is formed in the insulating film formed on the semiconductor
substrate. Here, "insoluble to a wet-etching liquid" means a nature
which is almost never dissolved by the wet-etching liquid, and
"hard-dissolving to a wet-etching liquid" means a nature which is
difficult to be dissolved by the wet-etching liquid. In the present
invention, it is sufficient if the protecting film is not
completely dissolved during a period of time in which the wet
etching is carried out, since the chemical amplification resist
layer is protected from the wet etching liquid.
[0013] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent from the following description
of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIGS. 1 to 6 are diagrammatic section views of a
semiconductor device, for illustrating an embodiment of the
patterning method in accordance with the present invention in a
semiconductor device fabricating process; and
[0015] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic section view similar to FIG. 2 but
for illustrating another embodiment of the patterning method in
accordance with the present invention in a semiconductor device
fabricating process.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] As an embodiment of the present invention, a process for
interconnecting a lower level pattern and an upper level pattern by
a metal film will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, on a surface of a lower level pattern
(semiconductor substrate 1) where a desired pattern or structure
(not shown) is formed, a metal film 2 for interconnecting with an
upper level pattern is formed. This metal film 2 is formed of for
example an aluminum film and has a thickness of about 700 nm. Then,
for example a silicon oxide film is formed as an insulating film
for separating between the lower level pattern (the substrate 1
plus the metal film 2) from the upper level pattern. This
insulating film is formed in a double-layer structure. In order to
ensure a satisfactory insulation, a dense silicon oxide film having
a thickness of 500 nm to 800 nm is formed as a first level
insulating film 3, and for planarization, a not-dense silicon oxide
film is formed as a second level insulating film 4. For example, as
the second level insulating film 4, an organic silica film having a
thickness of 30 nm to 500 nm is formed by a spin coating.
[0018] Then, a contact hole is formed in the insulating film for
interconnecting an upper level conducting film and a lower level
conducting film. This contact hole is formed to penetrate through
the insulating film and to reach the metal film 2 of the lower
level pattern, by means of a lithography process. For this purpose,
a chemical amplification resist is spin-coated on the double-layer
insulating film (3+4) to form a chemical amplification resist layer
5.
[0019] Thereafter, the chemical amplification resist layer 5 is
patterned by means of an exposure using a ultraviolet, an excimer
laser light. an electron beam or another resist exposing means, and
by means of a development. As a result, an opening 6 corresponding
to a future contact hole is formed in the chemical amplification
resist layer 5, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] Furthermore, a surface treating agent is spin-coated on a
surface of the patterned chemical amplification resist layer 5 to
form an insoluble layer 7 on the surface of the patterned chemical
amplification resist layer 5, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, a
liquid obtained by dissolving a few % to few ten % of Novorak resin
into a solvent is used as the surface treating agent. Thereafter,
the surface treating agent entering the inside of the opening 6 is
removed by a cleaning liquid 8. An alkali solution or an organic
solvent can be used as the cleaning liquid 8.
[0021] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, the silicon oxide film of
the second level insulating film 4 is wet-etched by a hydrofluoric
acid (HE), using the patterned and surface-treated chemical
amplification resist layer 5 as a mask. At this time, in some case,
a treatment is conducted with a surface-active agent just before
the wet etching using the hydrofluoric acid. After the wet etching,
a baking is carried out at a temperature of not less than
100.degree. C., in order to vaporize the moisture.
[0022] Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the first level insulating film 3
is etched by a dry etching using a plasma or the like. Furthermore,
as shown in FIG. 5, the chemical amplification resist layer 5 is
removed by a peeling means. Thus, a contact hole 6A penetrating
through the double-layer insulating film is formed by a lithography
process.
[0023] Succeedingly, as shown in FIG. 6, a second level metal film
9 is formed on the insulating film by use of a suitable means such
as a CVD process or a sputtering. In this process, the second level
metal film 9 is deposited within the contact hole 6A, so that the
first level metal film 2 is electrically interconnected to the
second level metal film 9 through the contact hole 6A.
[0024] Thus, by using the shown embodiment, the metal film 2 of the
lower level pattern (substrate 1) in the semiconductor device and
the upper level pattern (second level metal film 9) are
interconnected by the contact hole 6A. On a surface portion of the
lower level pattern (substrate 1) where necessary pattern and
structure are formed, a metal film for interconnecting with the
upper level pattern is formed, and on a surface portion where no
interconnection is required, an insulating film such as a silicon
oxide film is covered.
[0025] This insulating film is required to be thick in order to
absorb steps of the underlying pattern. In the semiconductor device
of this embodiment, the insulating film has a thickness of 800 nm
to 1300 nm. However, the thickness of the insulating film varies
dependently upon the structure and the kind of the semiconductor
device. Since it is difficult to form this thick silicon oxide film
at once, the thick silicon oxide film is formed by stacking two
layers of silicon oxide. As mentioned above, the first level
insulating film 3 is formed by forming the dense silicon oxide film
to have a thickness of 500 nm to 800 nm, and the second level
insulating film 4 is formed by forming a not-dense silicon oxide
film, for example, an organic silica film to have a thickness of
300 nm to 500 nm, by a spin coating. The contact hole 6A is formed
to penetrate through the double-layer insulating film so as to
reach the lower level metal film 2.
[0026] This contact hole 6A is formed by the lithography process. A
chemical amplification resist is spin-coated on the double-layer
insulating film to form a chemical amplification resist layer.
Then, the chemical amplification resist layer is selectively
exposed by a ultraviolet, an excimer laser light, an electron beam
or another resist exposing means, and then is developed, to form
the opening 6 in the chemical amplification resist layer.
Furthermore, an insoluble layer 7 is spin-coated on the surface of
the patterned chemical amplification resist layer. This insoluble
layer 7 is formed by spin-coating a liquid obtained by dissolving a
few % to few ten % of Novorak resin into a solvent (surface
treating agent). Thereafter, the surface treating agent entering
the inside of the opening 6 is removed by a cleaning liquid 8. An
alkali solution or an organic solvent can be used as the cleaning
liquid 8. The chemical amplification resist chemically bonds with
the surface treating agent at a surface of the chemical
amplification resist so that the surface condition of the chemical
amplification resist changes (to an insoluble surface layer) to
become insoluble to the cleaning liquid. On the other hand, a
bonding between the surface treating agent entering the contact
hole 6A and the oxide film at a bottom of the contact hole is a
weak physical bonding, and therefore, the surface treating agent at
the bottom of the contact hole can be washed away by the cleaning
liquid 8.
[0027] Thereafter, the silicon oxide film of the second level
insulating film 4 is wet-etched by a hydrofluoric acid (HF), using
the patterned and surface-treated chemical amplification resist
layer 5 as a mask. As mentioned above, at this time, in some case,
a treatment is conducted with a surface-active agent just before
the wet etching using the hydrofluoric acid. This makes it easy for
the wet etching liquid to enter into the opening. In this wet
etching, since the chemical amplification resist layer is protected
from the wet etching liquid by the insoluble layer, no acid
catalytic reaction occurs. Therefore, there occurs no deformation
of the opening formed in the chemical amplification resist
layer.
[0028] After the wet etching, a baking is carried out at a
temperature of not less than 100.degree. C., in order to vaporize
the moisture. In this baking process, since the chemical
amplification resist layer is protected from the wet etching liquid
by the insoluble layer, no acid contacts the chemical amplification
resist, nor is the diffusion of the acid promoted by the heat.
Therefore, no acid catalytic reaction occurs, so that there occurs
no deformation of the opening formed in the chemical amplification
resist layer.
[0029] After the moisture is vaporized at some degree, the first
level insulating film 3 is dry-etched by a plasma or the like,
using the patterned and surface-treated cheinical amplification
resist layer 5 as a mask, again. Since no deformation has occurred
in the opening formed in the chemical amplification resist layer,
the contact hole 6A having the same shape and size as those of the
opening 6 of the chemical amplification resist layer 5 is formed in
the double-layer insulating film. Thereafter, the chemical
amplification resist layer 5 is removed by a suitable peeling
means.
[0030] Thus, the contact hole 6A is formed by the lithography
process. Succeedingly, a second level metal film 9 is formed on the
insulating film by use of a suitable means such as a CVD process or
a sputtering. In this process, the second level metal film 9 is
deposited within the contact hole 6A, so that the first level metal
film 2 is electrically interconnected to the second level metal
film 9 through the contact hole 6A.
[0031] In the above mentioned embodiment, the lower level metal
film 2 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 as the lower
level pattern. However, it would be a matter of course to persons
skilled in the art that when the upper level metal film 9 can be
contacted directly to a surface region of the semiconductor
substrate 1 where the contact hole 6A is formed in the insulating
film, the lower level metal film 2 can be omitted. It would also be
a matter of course to persons skilled in the art that the lower
level metal film 2 is formed on an interlayer insulator film, not
in contact with the semiconductor substrate 1
[0032] As another embodiment of the present invention, the nature
of the surface of the chemical amplification resist layer can be
modified by a surface treatment using a strong alkali liquid such
as a developing liquid. With the surface treatment by the strong
alkali liquid, low-molecular-weight components which exist at a
surface of the chemical amplification resist layer and which are
easily soluble to an alkali liquid, are firstly dissolved, so that
high-motecular-weight components having a low solubility remain
much at the surface of the chemical amplification resist layer. As
a result, as shown in FIG. 7, a hard-dissolving layer 70 is formed
on the surface of the chemical amplification resist layer.
Therefore, the wet etching liquid becomes difficult to enter the
chemical amplification resist layer. In FIG. 7, elements similar to
those shown in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numbers, and
explanation will be omitted.
[0033] As still another embodiment of the present invention, the
nature of the surface of the chemical amplification resist layer
can be modified by exposing the surface of the chemical
amplification resist layer to plasma. The surface of the chemical
amplification resist layer exposed to plasma changes in nature
because of heat, ions and gas of the plasma, so as to make entering
of the wet etching liquid difficult. As a result, as shown in FIG.
7, the hard-dissolving layer 70 is formed on the surface of the
chemical amplification resist layer.
[0034] As a further embodiment of the present invention, the nature
of the surface of the chemical amplification resist layer can be
modified by irradiating onto the surface of the chemical
amplification resist layer, a radiation different from a radiation
of an exposure radiation source used for patterning the chemical
amplification resist layer. Even in this case, as a result, as
shown in FIG. 7, the hard-dissolving layer 70 is formed on the
surface of the chemical amplification resist layer.
[0035] As mentioned above, if the patterning method in accordance
with the present invention is used, it is possible to use the
chemical amplification resist in the process for forming a contact
hole used to interconnect the upper level conducting film and the
lower level conducting film. Therefore, a fine pattern can be
formed with a high throughput. This is because the pattern of the
chemical amplification resist layer does not deform even if the wet
etching is carried out using the chemical amplification resist as
the mask. Accordingly, a good opening pattern having a desired
shape can be obtained, and the yield of production and productivity
of semiconductor devices can be elevated. The reason for this is
that a film having the condition different from that of an ordinary
resist (a surface protection film insoluble or hard-dissolving to
the wet etching liquid) is formed on the surface of the chemical
amplification resist layer, so that reaction between the wet
etching liquid and the chemical amplification resist is
prevented.
[0036] As mentioned hereinbefore, the chemical amplification resist
is a high-resolution, high-sensitivity resist utilizing a catalytic
reaction of an acid generated in a portion selectively exposed by
an exposure light source, and on the other hand, a wet etching
liquid used for patterning the insulating film is a strong acid.
Therefore, if the chemical amplification resist is brought into
contact with the wet etching liquid, the acid catalytic reaction
occurs at a contact surface. As a result, the opening pattern
formed in the chemical amplification resist layer becomes deformed.
In particular, if a baking is conducted after the wet-etching, the
acid contained in the wet etching liquid diffuses into the chemical
amplification resist, and actively moves about (namely, diffuse in
the chemical amplification resist), so that a heavy deformation of
the pattern occurs, with the result that the opening formed in the
chemical amplification resist layer is often filled up. In this
condition, the upper level conducting film and the lower level
conducting film cannot be interconnected. This problem has been
overcome by the present invention.
[0037] The invention has thus been shown and described with
reference to the specific embodiments. However, it should be noted
that the present invention is in no way limited to the details of
the illustrated structures but changes and modifications may be
made within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *