Patent ID: 7407736

Claim:
A method for a single layer resist (SLR) patterning scheme, the method comprising: providing a patterned SLR layer over an anti-reflective coating (ARC), the patterned SLR layer and the ARC each including a polymer, wherein the patterned SLR layer includes one of: a poly-methacrylate based polymer, a poly-cycloolefin based polymer, a vinylether-maleic anhydride and a cycloolefin-maleic anhydride based polymer, and the ARC includes one of: an aromatic poly-methacrylate based polymer, a poly-ester based polymer and a poly-sulfone based polymer; and exposing at least a portion of the patterned SLR layer and a portion of the ARC to radiation, wherein the exposing includes exposing the at least a portion of the patterned SLR layer and the portion of the ARC to an exposure tool selected from one of: a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a flood electron beam exposure tool, an electron beam direct writing tool and a flood ion beam exposure tool, and wherein the exposing includes controlling the radiation exposure to induce: a) shrinkage of a thickness of the at least a portion of the patterned SLR layer and the portion of the ARC, b) substantial destruction of a main polymer chain of the portion of the ARC, and c) substantial retention of a polymer platform of the at least a portion of the patterned SLR layer.