Patent ID: 7807335

Claim:
A method of forming an image in a photoresist layer, comprising: (a) forming said photoresist layer over a top surface of a substrate; after (a), (b) applying a contamination gettering solution comprising (i) a casting solvent immiscible with said photoresist layer, (ii) one or more polymers and (iii) one or more cation complexing agents over an entire top surface of said photoresist layer and then heating said contamination gettering solution to above room temperature to remove said casting solvent to form a contamination gettering topcoat layer, after said heating said one or more polymers are insoluble in water and soluble in aqueous alkaline developer; after (b), (c) forming an immersion layer between said contamination gettering topcoat layer and said photomask; after (c), (d) exposing said photoresist layer to ultraviolet light through said immersion fluid, through said topcoat layer and through a photomask having opaque and clear regions, said opaque regions blocking said ultraviolet light and said clear regions being transparent to said ultraviolet light, said ultraviolet light changing the chemical composition of regions of said photoresist layer exposed to said ultraviolet light to form an exposed photoresist layer having exposed and unexposed regions; and after (d), (e) developing said exposed photoresist layer in aqueous alkaline developer to simultaneously remove said exposed regions of said photoresist layer and said contamination gettering topcoat layer.