Patent ID: 6379869
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A method for producing a photolithographic structure, comprising the steps of:providing a photoresist having a base resin and a photoactive component which is responsive to actinic radiation; protecting active groups in the base resin by using protecting groups so that the base resin contains protected active groups which are nonreactive until being deprotected; applying the photoresist to a substrate; exposing selectively patterned areas of the photoresist to an effective dose of a first actinic radiation; developing the photoresist with a developing agent to create a patterned photoresist by removing soluble portions of the photoresist; exposing the patterned photoresist to a second actinic radiation; deprotecting the protected active groups by using the photoactive component responding to the second actinic radiation; reacting the active groups deprotected in the deprotecting step with an etch protectant containing a silylating agent to incorporate the etch protectant into the base resin of the patterned photoresist; and etching the substrate.