Patent ID: 7989346

Claim:
A method of forming an etch resist pattern on a silicon semiconductor substrate having a silicon nitride anti-reflective layer thereon, the method comprising the steps of: a) modifying surface energy of the anti-reflective layer by contacting the anti-reflective layer with a composition comprising a fluorine-containing surfactant, wherein the fluorine-containing surfactant is selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids and salts thereof, perfluoroalkyl phosphates, perfluoroalkyl amines, perfluoroalkyl oxides and perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, and wherein the composition comprising the fluorine containing surfactant comprises between about 0.01% and about 1.0% by weight of the fluorine containing surfactant; b) applying an etch resist to the treated anti-reflective layer to create a pattern of etch-resist comprising exposed areas of the anti-reflective layer and etch-resist covered areas of the anti-reflective layer; c) contacting the exposed areas of the anti-reflective layer with a chemical etchant composition to remove the anti-reflective layer in the exposed areas; d) stripping away the etch resist; and e) applying a metal coating on the exposed areas.