Patent ID: 9291907
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: G03F

Claim Text:
1. A method of forming a resist feature, the method comprising: forming a recess or a trench in a base material; filling the recess or the trench with a marker material comprising a compound formulated to be acidic or basic; forming a patterning resist above the marker material in the recess or the trench in the base material; selectively exposing the patterning resist to define at least one region of exposed resist and at least one region of unexposed resist, an acidity of the at least one region of exposed resist exceeding an acidity of the at least one region of unexposed resist; and diffusing the compound from the marker material into an overlying segment of the patterning resist contacting the marker material to alter an acidity of the overlying segment of the patterning resist, the overlying segment of the patterning resist comprising one or more of a segment of the at least one region of exposed resist and a segment of the at least one region of unexposed resist, the overlying segment of the patterning resist having, before the diffusing, a lower acidity than the marker material, wherein the marker material comprises the compound formulated to be acidic, or the overlying segment of the patterning resist having, before the diffusing, a lower basicity than the marker material, wherein the marker material comprises the compound formulated to be basic.