Importance

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Abstract

A process for forming a photoresist image on a substrate and a process for forming metal contacts on a substrate are described. The process of forming a photoresist image includes depositing a positive working photoresist composition onto a semiconductor substrate to thereby form a photoresist layer having a proximal surface on the substrate and a distal surface spaced from the substrate; imagewise exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing said photoresist layer to form a plurality of cavities through the photoresist layer extending to the substrate; overall exposing the remaining photoresist layer portion to sufficient electron beam radiation concentrated within said remaining photoresist layer between the proximal and distal surfaces to render a part of said remaining photoresist layer more soluble than prior to exposure; developing the more soluble part of the remaining photoresist layer to thereby expand the cavities to form notches in said remaining photoresist layer between the proximal and distal surfaces to form a notched photoresist layer; overall exposing the notched photoresist layer to sufficient electron beam radiation concentrated at and above the mid-point of the notches to render the notched photoresist layer above the notches more soluble than prior to exposure; and developing the more soluble part of the notched photoresist layer resulting from the prior step to remove the upper portion of the notched photoresist layer above the midpoint of the notches to thereby form champagne glass-shaped cavities in the photoresist layer. In order to form the champagne glass-shaped metal contacts of the present invention the further steps of depositing a metal into said champagne glass-shaped cavities and removing the remaining photoresist and any metal which is not contact-forming to thereby form metal contacts on the substrate. Microelectronic devices prepared by the same process are also disclosed.

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First Claim