Patent ID: 8728710

Claim:
A method of photoimaging hardmask films with dual tones, the method comprising: (i) incorporating a catalyst and a photoacid generator into a polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxane based hardmask composition, said catalyst being: capable of catalyzing condensation reactions of said polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxane resin molecules of said hardmask films, said condensation reactions forming inter- and intra-molecule linkage bonds, said linkage bonds forming molecular networks, and easy to be deactivated by photo-generated acids, and deactivated catalyst loses capability of promoting condensation reactions, and said photoacid generator being a chemical compound capable of producing acid upon exposure to radiations, said acid being able to deactivate said catalyst, and said acid being able to catalyze condensation reactions of said polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxane resin molecules of said hardmask films, and said radiations having wavelengths of 400 nanometers and shorter, (ii) radiating said polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxane based hardmask films with photomask images, said radiation causing: condensation reactions in dark areas of said photomask images, said condensation reactions being catalyzed by said catalyst, and said condensation reactions making the unradiated hardmask film areas insoluble in organic solvents or alkaline aqueous solutions, and said unradiated hardmask film areas being in positive tone, and condensation reactions in bright areas of said photomask images, said condensation reactions being catalyzed by excess acid, said excess acid being generated from said photoacid generator and being leftover from deactivation reactions with said catalyst, and said condensation reactions making the fully radiated hardmask film areas insoluble in organic solvents or alkaline aqueous solutions, and said fully radiated hardmask film areas being in negative tone, and no condensation reactions in transitions areas between dark and bright areas of said photomask images, in said transition areas catalyst being deactivated by photo-generated acid without excess acid, and said transition areas being soluble in organic solvents or alkaline aqueous solutions, and dual-tone images being formed.