Patent ID: 7018779

Claim:
A method of applying a photoresist to a semiconductor substrate in a process chamber comprising: providing said substrate having a silicon nitride layer thereon; depositing an oxynitride layer directly over and in contact with said silicon nitride layer, as a means to prevent amino group transport; depositing an antireflective coating on said oxynitride layer, such that said oxynitride layer is directly between and in contact with said silicon nitride layer and said antireflective coating; introducing a photoresist mask directly over and in contact with said antireflective coating; applying N 2 H 2 combined with O 2 ash at a temperature exceeding 250° C. and exposing said semiconductor substrate to a plasma for six minutes, prior to depositing said antireflective coating and introducing said photoresist and further processing said substrate with said photoresist mask to form a pattern having dimensions that are unaffected by said amino group transport.