Compositions comprising hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl component and processes for photolithography

Abstract

New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. Preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprises one or more materials that have hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention can exhibit reduced leaching of resist materials into an immersion fluid contacting the resist layer during immersion lithography processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a photoresist composition, comprising:
 (a) applying on a substrate a photoresist composition comprising:
 (i) one or more resins, 
 (ii) a photoactive component, and 
 (iii) one or more materials that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups; and 
   (b) immersion exposing the photoresist layer to radiation activating for the photoresist composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more materials that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups are substantially non-mixable with the one or more resins. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  or  2  wherein the one or more substantially non-mixable materials comprise resins that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  or  2  wherein the one or more substantially non-mixable resins comprise hetero-substituted multi-ring carbocyclic aryl groups. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  or  2  wherein the one or more substantially non-mixable resins comprise hydroxyl naphthyl groups. 
     
     
         6 . The method of any one of  claims 1  through  5  wherein the one or more substantially non-mixable materials comprise one more fluorine groups or fluorine-substituted groups. 
     
     
         7 . The method of any one of  claims 1  through  6  wherein the one or more substantially non-mixable materials comprise aqueous base-solubilizing groups and/or one or more photoacid-labile groups. 
     
     
         8 . A method for processing a photoresist composition, comprising:
 (a) applying on a substrate a photoresist composition comprising:
 (i) one or more resins, 
 (ii) a photoactive component, and 
 (iii) one or more materials that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups; and 
   (b) immersion exposing the photoresist layer to radiation activating for the photoresist composition.   
     
     
         9 . A coated substrate system comprising:
 a substrate having thereon:   a coating layer of a photoresist composition, the photoresist composition comprising:
 (i) one or more resins, 
 (ii) a photoactive component, and 
 (iii) one or more materials one or more materials that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein an immersion lithography fluid contacts the top surface of the photoresist coating layer and/or the system further comprises an immersion photolithography exposure tool. 
     
     
         11 . A photoresist composition comprising:
 (i) one or more resins,   (ii) a photoactive component, and   (iii) one or more materials one or more materials that comprise hetero-substituted carbocyclic aryl groups and that are distinct from and substantially non-mixable with the one or more resins.