Patent ID: 6323139
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: G03F,H01L

Abstract:
A semiconductor processing method, comprising:providing a monocrystalline silicon substrate;forming a pad oxide layer over and physically against the monocrystalline silicon substrate;forming a silicon nitride material over and physically against the pad oxide layer; the silicon nitride material having a surface;forming a barrier layer over and physically against the surface of the silicon nitride material, the barrier layer consisting of silicon and nitrogen; the barrier layer having a thickness less than a thickness of the silicon nitride material and greater than 1% of a combined thickness of the barrier layer and the silicon nitride material;forming a photoresist over and physically against the barrier layer;exposing the photoresist to a patterned beam of light to render at least one portion of the photoresist more soluble in a solvent than an other portion, the barrier layer being an antireflective surface that absorbs light passing through the photoresist, and the barrier layer restricting nitrogen diffusion from the silicon nitride material to the photoresist; andexposing the photoresist to the solvent to remove the at least one portion while leaving the other portion over the barrier layer.