Patent ID: 9324604
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A gap-fill method, comprising: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate having a relief image on a surface of the substrate, the relief image comprising a plurality of gaps to be filled, wherein the gaps have a width of 50 nm or less; (b) applying a gap-fill composition over the relief image, wherein the gap-fill composition comprises a first polymer comprising a crosslinkable group, a second polymer comprising a chromophore, wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are different, a crosslinker, an acid catalyst, and a solvent, wherein the gap-fill composition is disposed in the gaps; (c) heating the gap-fill composition at a temperature to cause the first polymer to self-crosslink and/or to crosslink with the second polymer to form a crosslinked polymer; (d) forming a photoresist layer over the substrate comprising the crosslinked polymer-filled gaps; (e) patternwise exposing the photoresist layer to activating radiation; and (f) developing the photoresist layer to form a photoresist pattern.