MATERIAL

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor processing and more particularly, but not exclusively, to the formation of inorganic structures of a mask material.

2. Background Art

The fabrication of microelectronic devices involves forming electronic components and insulation structures in or on microelectronic substrates, such as silicon wafers. Electronic components may include transistors, resistors, capacitors, and the like. Insulation structures comprise dielectric materials which are often variously disposed in or near electronic

components to control or otherwise mitigate the effect of electromagnetic (EM) fields on the operation of such components.

Successive generations of microelectronic device technology continue to trend toward increased integration of structures in or on any one layer. One result of this trend is an increasing sensitivity to incorrectly positioned, shaped or otherwise defined resist structures that are to be used in subsequent fabrication processing. As a result, there is an increasing premium being placed on incremental improvements to materials used in the formation of patterned resists.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which:

FIG. 1 shows in respective cross-sectional side views various stages of processing to pattern a resist according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating elements of a method to pattern a resist according to an embodiment.

FIGs. 3 A, 3B illustrate cross-sectional views of various operations in a method of patterning using resist compounds in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a computing device in accordance with one implementation of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrated an interposer implementing one or more embodiments of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments discussed herein variously provide techniques and/or mechanisms for providing a patterned resist based on the use of a quencher which limits irradiation-induced reactions in a resist material. In an embodiment, a resist material includes inorganic nanoclusters and ligands that help stabilize the inorganic nanoclusters - e.g., by promoting solubility of the inorganic nanoclusters in the resist material. An inorganic molecule of the nanoclusters may include, for example, at least one of a transition metal element, a lanthanide element, an actinide element or a main group element. The resist material may be reactive to irradiation which, for example, results in some or all of the inorganic nanoclusters forming larger clusters, chains and/or other structures.

In such an embodiment, a compound (disposed in or adjacent to the resist material) may provide a quencher to help limit continuation of the irradiation-induced chemical reaction. For example, the compound (or a product thereof) may react with an electron, a radical or a cation which is a by-product of the chemical reaction. Quenching of this by-product may prevent its availability to participate in a further reaction, by ligands of the resist material, that might otherwise result in further grouping of inorganic nanoparticles. As used herein, "quench," "quencher," "quenching" and related terms refer to the characteristic of a compound being able to stop a chemical reaction that might otherwise take place with one or more other chemicals (e.g., including ligands, nanoclusters and/or the like) which are present. Unless otherwise indicated, "(pre)quencher compound" refers herein to one or more molecules which are available to function as a quencher, or which may be reactive to produce a quencher.

To illustrate certain features of various embodiments, resist patterning is described herein with reference to negative tone patterning processes that, for example, is to form photobucket structures for use in the selective fabrication of interconnects in or on a semiconductor substrate. However, such description may be extended to any of a variety of other types of processing to selectively expose and develop a resist material to form a patterned resist. For example, some embodiments variously provide positive tone patterning wherein irradiation-induced reactions lead to changes in ligand chemistry, and the formation of inorganic structures, which make exposed regions of a photoresist material more soluble in a developer solvent.

The technologies described herein may be implemented in one or more electronic devices. Non-limiting examples of electronic devices that may utilize the technologies described herein include any kind of mobile device and/or stationary device, such as cameras, cell phones, computer terminals, desktop computers, electronic readers, facsimile machines, kiosks, netbook computers, notebook computers, internet devices, payment terminals, personal digital assistants, media players and/or recorders, servers (e.g., blade server, rack mount server, combinations thereof, etc.), set-top boxes, smart phones, tablet personal computers, ultra-mobile personal computers, wired telephones, combinations thereof, and the like. Such devices may be portable or stationary. In some embodiments the technologies described herein may be employed in a desktop computer, laptop computer, smart phone, tablet computer, netbook computer, notebook computer, personal digital assistant, server, combinations thereof, and the like. More generally, the technologies described herein may be employed in any of a variety of electronic devices which are formed by and/or include a patterned resist structure.

FIG. 1 shows in respective cross-section views various stages 100, 102, 104, 106 of processing to pattern a resist according to an embodiment. Stages 100, 102, 104, 106 illustrate one example of an embodiment which, for example, facilitates the formation of features in or on a semiconductor substrate.

To illustrate certain features of various embodiments, stages 100, 102, 104, 106 are described herein with reference to the patterning of a resist material 120 which is disposed (directly or indirectly) on a silicon substrate 110, where resist material 120 includes nanoclusters and ligand molecules to participate one of a variety of reactions described herein. However, such description may be extended to additionally or alternatively apply to various other types of patterning of such a resist material.

Referring now to stage 100, a partially processed wafer is shown which includes a silicon substrate 110, and a resist material 120 which is spin coated or otherwise disposed thereon.

Processing during stages 100, 102, 104, 106 may form one or more patterned openings in resist material 120 - e.g., to expose corresponding underlying regions of silicon substrate 110 or, in an alternative embodiment, regions of a structure that might be disposed between silicon substrate 110 and resist material 120. Some embodiments are not limited with respect to a particular function that might be provided by such patterned resist structures.

Detail view 101 illustrates in large-scale a portion of resist material 120 - e.g., at one of the regions 122 shown. As shown in detail view 101, resist material 120 may include, at stage 100, nanoclusters 130 (represented as black dots) and first ligands (represented as curving lines) which are variously disposed between respective ones of nanoclusters 130. In such an embodiment, nanoclusters 130 may comprise any of a variety of inorganic compounds, wherein the first ligands are to facilitate chemical stabilization of nanoclusters 130 in resist material 120. By way of illustration and not limitation, the first ligands may be variously coupled to or otherwise disposed around respective ones of the nanoclusters 130 to promote solubility of nanoclusters 130 in resist material 120.

Chemical reactivity of resist material 120 may enable a change to such stabilization of nanoclusters 130. Some embodiments further provide a compound, in or adjacent to resist material 120, to limit such chemical reactivity. For example, molecules 132 (represented as white dots) of such a compound may be dispersed among nanoclusters 130 and the stabilizing first ligands. In other embodiments, some or all of molecules 132 are variously disposed along one or more sides of resist material 120. Although some embodiments are not limited in this regard, resist material 120 may further comprise any of a variety of other chemical stabilizers, suspension media and/or the like (not shown) - e.g., as adapted from any of various conventional photoresist materials.

In an illustrative scenario according to one embodiment, patterning of resist material 120 includes selectively exposing some regions to irradiation - e.g., including electron irradiation or photon irradiation. For example, referring now to stage 102, irradiation of regions 122 may activate chemical reaction which changes one or more physical properties of those portions of photoresist material 120 which are in regions 122. Detail view 103 illustrates, during stage 102, the region which is shown in detail view 101.

Regions 122 may be exposed to ultraviolet (UV), electron and/or other irradiation which induces a reaction by the first ligands variously disposed among nanoclusters 130. Such reaction may result in a transition of nanoclusters 130 in regions 122 to an insoluble state. For example, nanoclusters 130 may begin to variously aggregate with one another - e.g., directly and/or via products of reaction by the first ligands. One or more by-products of such chemical reaction - e.g., including electrons and/or radicals - may further react with some of the first ligands to continue the aggregation of those nanoclusters 130 in one or more of regions 122. This continued reaction may result in a formation from nanoclusters 130 of larger clusters, chains, cross-linked networks and/or other structures (such as the illustrative structures 134 shown in detail view 103)

Some embodiments variously provide a compound (such as that represented by molecules 132) to mitigate the possibility that this continued chemical reaction might spread to a portion of resist material 120 which is outside of the desired one or more regions 122. For example, detail view 105 illustrates, during stage 104, the region which is shown in detail view 103. As shown in detail view 105, larger structures 136 may result from the continued precipitation of additional ones of nanoclusters 130 onto respective ones of the structures 134 shown in detail view 103.

However, at stage 104, further reaction to precipitate nanoclusters 130 is quenched by molecules 132 (and/or by a product of reaction by molecules 132). In some embodiments, molecules 132 (or a product thereof) function as a quencher which reacts with electron by- products or radical by-products to interrupt the reaction pathway by which structures 136 might otherwise continue to grow. In detail view 105, molecules 132 are variously shown as bonded to respective ones of structures 136. However, other embodiments are not limited in this regard, and molecules 132 may alternatively quench the further precipitation of nanoclusters 130 without being chemically bonded to any such precipitate.

The quenching functionality provided with molecules 132 may promote an intended patterning of resist material 120. For example, at stage 106, resist structures 124 may be formed at respective ones of regions 122 by removal of other unirradiated portions of resist material 120 - e.g., using a negative tone developer adapted from conventional resist processing. By mitigating the spread of chemical reaction into a region 126 outside of regions 122, molecules 132 may help preserve the ability to remove a portion of resist material 120 from region 126, thus promoting the patterning of structures 124. Some embodiments are not limited with respect to any additional processing that might be performed, for example, to further provide electrical components and/or other resist structures (not shown) in or on silicon substrate 110.

Processing such as that represented by stages 100, 102, 104, 106 may result in the fabrication of an IC device which includes a semiconductor substrate and a patterned resist layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The patterned resist layer may include a precipitate of inorganic nanoclusters 130 (e.g. the precipitate including structures 136) and a residue of unreacted ones of the first ligands. The patterned resist layer may further comprise another residue of the compound (e.g., including residual unreacted ones of molecules 132) or of a quencher produced by reaction of the compound. In some embodiments, the resist material further comprises a second compound which has resulted from a reaction between the quencher and a by-product of the earlier irradiation-induced reaction with the first ligands.

FIG. 2 illustrates features of a method 200 to pattern resist structures according to an embodiment. Method 200 may include some or all features of the processing illustrated by stages 100, 102, 104, 106 - e.g., where method 200 is to form one or more resist structures which variously extend each at least partially across a surface portion of silicon substrate 110. Such resist structures may be subsequently used in etching and/or other processing to form transistors, vias or other circuit structures in or on silicon substrate 110.

In some embodiments, method 200 includes initiating a reaction in a region of a resist material which includes inorganic nanoclusters and ligands that, for example, promote a solubility of such inorganic nanoclusters in the resist material. A compound disposed in or on the resist material may provide a quencher which helps reduce a continuance of such reaction - e.g., to confine the reaction to only certain portions of the resist material.

For example, method 200 may comprise, at 210, depositing on a semiconductor substrate a resist material including inorganic nanoclusters and first ligands disposed between respective ones of the inorganic nanoclusters. The resist material may be deposited directly or indirectly on the semiconductor substrate at 210 - e.g., wherein one or more integrated circuit structures are disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the deposited resist material. The depositing at 210 may include spin coating and/or other processes which, for example, are adapted from conventional mask fabrication techniques. In an embodiment, inorganic nanoclusters of the resist material have an average largest width (e.g., an average diameter) which is in a range of 0.4 nanometers (nm) to 15 nm. For example, the average largest width of such inorganic nanoclusters may be in a range of 0.5 nm to 10 nm. The nanoclusters may be mostly comprised of an inorganic molecule including at least one element (referred to herein with the label M) that, for example, is a transition metal element, a lanthanide element, an actinide element or a main group element. By way of illustration and not limitation, the element M may be a transition metal such as scandium (Sc), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co). In an embodiment, the element M is a lanthanide or an actinide such as lanthanum (La), ytterbium (Yb), or erbium (Er). Alternatively, the element M may be main group element such as silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), or bismuth (Bi). In some embodiments, inorganic nanoclusters include a metal oxide MxOy, a metal nitride MxNy, a metal sulfide MxSy, a metal silicate MxOySiz, or a metallic molecule Mx (where letters x and y variously represent respective integers appropriate to the molecule in question).

Prior to and/or during the deposition at 210, the first ligands may function as a stabilizer to maintain a solubility of the inorganic nanoclusters in the resist material. In some

embodiments, some or all of the first ligands are variously coupled each to a respective one of the inorganic nanoclusters - e.g., wherein a surface of an inorganic nanocluster has multiple ligands bonded thereto. The first ligands may be reactive, directly or indirectly, to exposure to electron, photon and/or other irradiation. This reactivity may enable at least in part an irradiation-induced change to a solubility of some or all of the inorganic nanoclusters in an exposed portion of the resist material.

In an embodiment, the first ligands of the resist material include any of a variety of neutral ligands - e.g., including an isonitrile ligand, a nitrile ligand, a phosphine ligand, a sulfide ligand, and a carbene ligand. Alternatively or in addition, the first ligands may include a conjugate base such as that of an acid (e.g., one of a carboxylic acid, a sulfonic acid, or a phosphonic acid) of a thiol, an alcohol, an amine, an amide, a carbamate, a phenol, an alkane, or an arene. Examples of carboxylic acids to provide such a conjugate base include, but are not limited to, methacrylic acid, 2-methacrylic acid, 3,3-dimethacrylic acid, 2,3-dimethacrylic acid, benzoic acid, 4-vinylbenzoic acid, 3-methylcyclopropylcarboxylic acid, phenylacetic acid, 3- butynoic acid, 3-butenoic acid, propynoic acid, cyclopropanecarboxylic, cyclopropylacetic acid, vinylacetic acid, propargylacetic acid, 2-trimethylsilylpropionic acid. Examples of sulfonic acids to provide such a conjugate base include p-toluenesulfonic acid and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Examples of phosphonic acids to provide a conjugate base include vinylphosphonic acid and octylphosphonic acid. Octanethiol is one example of a thiol to provide a conjugate base of the first ligands. An alcohol to provide such a conjugate base may include, for example, tert-butyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol or allyl alcohol. Allylamine and diallylamine are two examples of an amine to provide a conjugate base, in various embodiments. An amide to provide a conjugate base may include, for example, N-methylacetamide, acrylamide, or N-methylacrylamide.

Benzoyl carbamate and ortho-nitrobenzoylcarbamate are two examples of a carbamate to provide a conjugate base of the resist material. A phenol to provide such a conjugate base may include, for example, 4-bromophenol, 4-vinylphenol, 2,6-dimethylphenol, or pentafluorophenol. Examples of an alkane to provide a conjugate base include butane, propene and toluene. An arene to provide a conjugate base may include, for example, 4-vinylbenzene or benzene.

Examples of an isonitrile to provide a conjugate base include tert-butylisonitrile, tolylisonitrile, methylisonitrile, and octylisonitrile. Trioctylphosphine and triphenylphosphine are to examples of a phosphine to provide a conjugate base. Examples of a sulfide to provide a conjugate base include thiophene, and dioctylsulfide. A carbene to provide a conjugate base may include, for example, N-heterocyclic carbene.

Method 200 may further comprise, at 220, selectively irradiating a first region of the resist material, after the depositing at 210, to initiate a first reaction with the first ligands. The first reaction may reduce a solubility of the inorganic nanoclusters in the resist material. The irradiating at 220 may include selectively exposing the first region to electrons or photons (e.g., UV light) - e.g., wherein a second region of the resist material, adjacent to the first region, is protected from any such exposure. In response to the irradiating at 220, one or more physical properties of the first region may change due at least in part to an aggregation of at least some of the inorganic nanoclusters into one or more larger chains, clusters, cross-linked networks and/or other structures.

In an embodiment, method 200 further includes, at 230, providing a quencher which prevents an availability of a by-product of the first reaction to participate in a second reaction with a remaining portion of the first ligands.

The quencher may be provided at 230 with a compound which is disposed in or on the resist material - e.g., wherein the compound itself is to provide a quenching function or, alternatively, where the compound is to participate in a reaction which produces the quencher.

In some embodiments, the selective irradiating at 220 also results in a reaction of the compound to produce the quencher.

The by-product of the first reaction may, for example, include an electron, a radical or a cation which the quencher is absorbs or otherwise reacts with, thus preventing a subsequent second reaction, with one or more others of the first ligands, that might otherwise result in further aggregation of inorganic nanoparticles. Quenching of the by-product may be provided by a reaction other than any that neutralizes an acid that might be generated by the irradiating at 220.

The quencher (and, in some embodiments, the compound) may include any of a variety of radical quencher molecules including, but not limited to, a nitroxide, a bulky phenol, a phenol- based radical, a triarylalkane, and an unsaturated organosilane. One example of a nitroxide to provide a radical quencher is (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-l-yl)oxidanyl, commonly abbreviated as TEMPO. A bulky phenol to provide such a radical quencher may include 2,6-di- tertbutylphenol, for example. Examples of radicals to provide the radical quencher include verdazyl and galvinoxyl. Triphenylmethane (trityl) is one example triarylalkane to provide a radical quencher. An example of an unsaturated organosilane to provide a radical quencher is 1 , 1 ,2-tris-trimethylsilyl ethane.

Alternatively or in addition, the quencher provided at 230 may include any of a variety of free radical molecules which are more chemically stable than any radical which might be a byproduct of the first reaction. Such a free radical molecule may be reactive with the by-product - e.g., to form a more stable (less reactive) and/or less diffusive radical. Examples of molecules to provide such a quencher include 1,1-diphenylethene, 1, 1-bistrialkylsilylethene and any of a variety of substituted phenols.

In some embodiments, the quencher provided at 230 is a cation quencher molecule such as one provided by a soluble organic salt based on a cation and a corresponding anion. Such a cation may include one of tetrabutylammonium, methyltriphenylphosphonium,

triphenylsulfonium, or pyridinium, for example. Alternatively or in addition, the anion may, for example, include one of benzoate, methacrylate, acetate, chloride, bromide, hydroxide, phenoxide, triflate, nonaflate, or tosylate.

Alternatively or in addition, the quencher provided at 230 may include an electron quencher molecule such as any of various electron deficient aromatic compounds, electron deficient olefins, or inorganic oxidants. Examples of an electron deficient aromatic compound to provide such an electron quencher molecule include nitrobenzene and pentafluorotoluene.

Tetracyanoethylene is one example of an electron deficient olefin to provide such an electron quencher molecule. An inorganic oxidant molecule may include a metal atom which is susceptible to being reduced by an electron to form relatively more stable compound. Various other examples of quencher molecules that may be provided at 230 include, but are not limited to, 4-tert-butylpyrocatechol, tert-butylhydroquinone, 1,4-benzoquinone, 2,6-di-tert-butylp-cresol, l,l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroquinone, 4-methoxyphenol, and phenothiazine.

The providing at 230 may include, for example, mixing the compound directly into the resist material - e.g., prior to the depositing at 210. For example, a ratio of the first ligands to the compound in the resist material may be in a range of 10: 1 to 40: 1. In some embodiments, the compound is added to the resist material as a ligand - e.g., through processing which appends carboxylic acid or any of various other such (pre)quencher compounds to one of an inorganic nanocluster or a first ligand. Some or all of the compound may be disposed above a surface of a semiconductor substrate (or above a surface of a structure formed on the semiconductor substrate) - e.g., wherein the resist material is subsequently deposited over the compound at 210. In such an embodiment, the compound may include ligands which are attached to photobucket sidewalls and/or other structures formed in or on a semiconductor substrate. For example, molecules may be modified to include one of a trialkoxysilyl group, aminosilyl group, or a chlorosilyl group, wherein said group is to subsequently react with hydroxyl-terminated surface structures to form a monolayer of a (pre)quencher compound on said surface structures. In some embodiments, the compound may generate a radical - e.g., in response to the irradiating at 220 - to react and nullify one or more propagating radicals which are a by-product of the first reaction. The radical produced by the compound may be relatively more stable than some or all of the one or more by-product radicals.

Method 200 may include one or more additional operations (not shown) which, for example, are to fabricate integrated circuit structures using the patterned resist structures. By way of illustration and not limitation, such additional operations may include etching through one or more holes formed by the resist structures. In some embodiments, the additional operations include removing the resist structures entirely from the semiconductor substrate. Various embodiments are not limited with respect to the performance of any such additional operations.

FIGs. 3A and 3B illustrate stages 300-305 of processing to provide patterned resist structures according to an embodiment. Processing such as that represented by stages 300-305 may include some or all of the processing represented by stages 100, 102, 104, 106, for example. In some embodiments, the processing represented by stages 300-305 is according to method 200.

Stages 300-305 represent one embodiment wherein a compound is provided on a side of a resist material, the compound to provide a quencher to limit chemical reaction in the resist material. Referring to stage 300, a pre-patterned hard mask is disposed on a substrate 310. The pre-patterned hard mask may have formed therein recesses (such as the illustrative recesses 340, 342, 344) that extend through to substrate 310. Structures 320, 322 of the hard mask may variously define at least in part respective sidewalls of recesses 340, 342, 344. In an

embodiment, a compound 330 is disposed on such sidewalls. By way of illustration and not limitation, compound 330 may include ligands variously attached to hard mask surfaces such as those of structures 320, 322. Although some embodiments are not limited in this regard, compound 330 may further extend on a top side of the hard mask and/or on surface portions of substrate 310 which form the respective bottoms of recesses 340, 342, 344.

Stage 301 shows structures of stage 300 after a resist material 350 is spin coated or otherwise deposited over the hard mask and compound 330 - e.g., wherein portions of resist material 350 variously extend into recesses 340, 342, 344 to form respective photobuckets therein. The resist material 350 may include inorganic nanoclusters and stabilizing ligands (not shown) that promote solubility of said inorganic nanoclusters in resist material 350. Deposition of compound 330 on surfaces of substrate 310 and/or surfaces of structures 320, 322 may (as compared to a mixing of compound 330 in resist material 350) improve consistency, across substrate 310, in a distribution of compound 330 with resist material 350.

Referring again to stage 301, the vertical lines A-F shown variously delineate the respective horizontal extents of vertical structures which are variously formed by compound 330 and structures 320, 322. A first portion of compound 330 (between lines A and B) separates a first photobucket in recess 340 from a sidewall of structure 320. The second portion of compound 330 (between lines C and D) separates a second photobucket in recess 342 from another sidewall of structure 320, wherein the third portion of compound 330 (between lines E and F) separates the second photobucket from a sidewall of structure 322.

Subsequently, one or more such photobuckets - e.g., only a subset thereof - may be selectively subjected to subtractive processing which includes an exposure to irradiation with photons or an electron beam. By way of illustration and not limitation, subtractive processing may be performed to remove one or both of the respective photobuckets in recesses 340, 344 - e.g., wherein the second photobucket in recess 342 is selectively protected from such subtractive processing.

Referring to stage 302, UV light 360 may be directed onto selective areas of resist material 350 as part of processing to remove the first photobucket and/or the third photobucket. In practice, misalignment may result in UV light 360 being offset, along a given line of direction, from a desired position - e.g., wherein such offset is toward a plane including vertical line A and away from the plane including vertical line F. The portions of compound 330 variously disposed at the sidewalls of structures 320, 322 may provide protection for at least some minimal amount of such offset. For example, the first portion - between vertical lines A and B - may protect the photobucket in recess 340 from at least an offset of UV light 360 that is less than (or equal to) a horizontal distance between line A and line B. Portions of compound 330 may thus variously serve as marginal buffers to mitigate the effects of possible misalignment in the application of a selective irradiation. Stage 303 shows structures of stage 302 after application of UV light 360 has resulted in an exposed portion 354 of resist material 350 and unexposed portions 352, 356 of resist material 350. Photo-induced reactions involving ligands of resist material 350 may result in changes to physical properties of portion 354 - e.g., wherein in organic nanoclusters of portion 354 begin to form larger chains, clusters, cross-linked networks and/or other structures as a result. A portion of compound 330 which adjoins portion 354 may mitigate the spread of such photo-induced reaction into region 352 and/or region 356 by quenching electrons, radicals and/or other byproducts of said photo-induced reactions.

Referring to stage 304, subsequent processing - e.g., including negative tone

development - may be performed to remove portions 352, 356 and (in some embodiments) an unreacted portion of compound 330. A surface 312 of substrate 310 may be exposed to facilitate subsequent processing that is to form one or more interconnects and/or other structure in or on substrate 310. By way of illustration and not limitation, referring to stage 305, a plasma etch and/or other subtractive processing may be applied to form in recess 342 a plug 358 by removing an amount of portion 354 which extends above structures 320, 322.

FIG. 4 illustrates a computing device 400 in accordance with one implementation of the invention. The computing device 400 houses a board 402. The board 402 may include a number of components, including but not limited to a processor 404 and at least one communication chip 406. The processor 404 is physically and electrically coupled to the board 402. In some implementations the at least one communication chip 406 is also physically and electrically coupled to the board 402. In further implementations, the communication chip 406 is part of the processor 404.

Depending on its applications, computing device 400 may include other components that may or may not be physically and electrically coupled to the board 402. These other components include, but are not limited to, volatile memory (e.g., DRAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM), flash memory, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, a crypto processor, a chipset, an antenna, a display, a touchscreen display, a touchscreen controller, a battery, an audio codec, a video codec, a power amplifier, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a compass, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a speaker, a camera, and a mass storage device (such as hard disk drive, compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), and so forth).

The communication chip 406 enables wireless communications for the transfer of data to and from the computing device 400. The term "wireless" and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communications channels, etc., that may communicate data through the use of modulated electromagnetic radiation through a non- solid medium. The term does not imply that the associated devices do not contain any wires, although in some embodiments they might not. The communication chip 406 may implement any of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including but not limited to Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 family), WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 family), IEEE 802.20, long term evolution (LTE), Ev- DO, HSPA+, HSDPA+, HSUPA+, EDGE, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, DECT, Bluetooth, derivatives thereof, as well as any other wireless protocols that are designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and beyond. The computing device 400 may include a plurality of communication chips 406. For instance, a first communication chip 406 may be dedicated to shorter range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and a second communication chip 406 may be dedicated to longer range wireless communications such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, and others.

The processor 404 of the computing device 400 includes an integrated circuit die packaged within the processor 404. In some implementations of the invention, the integrated circuit die of the processor includes one or more structures, such as self-aligned vias, built in accordance with implementations of the invention. The term "processor" may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data from registers and/or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that may be stored in registers and/or memory.

The communication chip 406 also includes an integrated circuit die packaged within the communication chip 406. In accordance with another implementation of the invention, the integrated circuit die of the communication chip 406 includes one or more structures, such as conductive vias fabricated using lined photobucket structures, in accordance with any of various embodiments.

In further implementations, another component housed within the computing device 400 may contain an integrated circuit die that includes one or more structures, such as conductive vias fabricated using a lined photobucket structures, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

In various implementations, the computing device 400 may be a laptop, a netbook, a notebook, an ultrabook, a smartphone, a tablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an ultra mobile PC, a mobile phone, a desktop computer, a server, a printer, a scanner, a monitor, a set- top box, an entertainment control unit, a digital camera, a portable music player, or a digital video recorder. In further implementations, the computing device 400 may be any other electronic device that processes data.

FIG. 5 illustrates an interposer 500 that includes one or more embodiments of the invention. The interposer 500 is an intervening substrate used to bridge a first substrate (not shown) to a second substrate 504. The first substrate may be, for instance, an integrated circuit die. The second substrate 504 may be, for instance, a memory module, a computer motherboard, or another integrated circuit die. Generally, the purpose of an interposer 500 is to spread a connection to a wider pitch or to reroute a connection to a different connection. For example, an interposer 500 may couple an integrated circuit die to a ball grid array (BGA) 506 that can subsequently be coupled to the second substrate 504. In some embodiments, the first substrate and second substrate 504 are attached to opposing sides of the interposer 500. In other embodiments, the first substrate and second substrate 504 are attached to the same side of the interposer 500. And in further embodiments, three or more substrates are interconnected by way of the interposer 500.

The interposer 500 may be formed of an epoxy resin, a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin, a ceramic material, or a polymer material such as polyimide. In further implementations, the interposer may be formed of alternate rigid or flexible materials that may include the same materials described above for use in a semiconductor substrate, such as silicon, germanium, and other group III-V and group IV materials.

The interposer may include metal interconnects 508 and vias 510, including but not limited to through-silicon vias (TSVs) 512. The interposer 500 may further include embedded devices 514, including both passive and active devices. Such devices include, but are not limited to, capacitors, decoupling capacitors, resistors, inductors, fuses, diodes, transformers, sensors, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices. More complex devices such as radio-frequency (RF) devices, power amplifiers, power management devices, antennas, arrays, sensors, and MEMS devices may also be formed on the interposer 500. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, apparatuses or processes disclosed herein may be used in the fabrication of interposer 500 or in one or more of the components of the interposer 500.

In one implementation, a method comprises depositing a resist material on a

semiconductor substrate, the resist material including inorganic nanoclusters and first ligands disposed between respective ones of the inorganic nanoclusters, and after the depositing, selectively irradiating a first region of the resist material to initiate a first reaction with the first ligands, wherein the first reaction reduces a solubility of the inorganic nanoclusters in the resist material. The method further comprises, with a compound disposed in or on the resist material, providing a quencher which prevents an availability of a by-product of the first reaction to participate in a second reaction with a remaining portion of the first ligands.

In one embodiment, the by-product includes an electron or a radical. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of a nitroxide, a bulky phenol, a phenol-based radical, a triarylalkane, or an unsaturated organosilane. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of 1,1-diphenylethene, 1, 1-bistrialkylsilylethene or a substituted phenol. In another embodiment, the quencher includes an organic salt. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of an aromatic compound, an olefin, or an inorganic oxidant. In another embodiment, the inorganic nanoclusters mostly comprise a molecule including one of a transition metal element, a lanthanide element, an actinide element, or a main group element.

In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of scandium (Sc), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co). In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of lanthanum (La), ytterbium (Yb), or erbium (Er). In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), or bismuth (Bi). In another embodiment, the molecule is a metal oxide molecule, a metal nitride molecule, a metal sulfide molecule, a metal silicate molecule, or a metallic molecule. In another embodiment, the first ligands include an isonitrile ligand, a nitrile ligand, a phosphine ligand, a sulfide ligand, or a carbene ligand. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of an acid. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of a carboxylic acid, a sulfonic acid, or a phosphonic acid. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of a thiol, an alcohol, an amine, an amide, a carbamate, a phenol, an alkane, or an arene.

In another implementation, an integrated circuit (IC) device comprises a semiconductor substrate, and a patterned resist layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein a resist material of the patterned resist layer includes a precipitate of inorganic nanoclusters, a first residue of first ligands, and a second residue of a first compound, wherein the resist material includes a second compound, wherein a first reaction results in a formation of the second compound, the first reaction between a quencher provided by the first compound and a byproduct of a second irradiation-induced reaction with the first ligands.

In one embodiment, the by-product includes an electron or a radical. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of a nitroxide, a bulky phenol, a phenol-based radical, a triarylalkane, or an unsaturated organosilane. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of 1,1-diphenylethene, 1, 1-bistrialkylsilylethene or a substituted phenol. In another embodiment, the quencher includes an organic salt. In another embodiment, the quencher includes one of an aromatic compound, an olefin, or an inorganic oxidant. In another embodiment, the inorganic nanoclusters mostly comprise a molecule including one of a transition metal element, a lanthanide element, an actinide element, or a main group element.

In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of scandium (Sc), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), or cobalt (Co). In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of lanthanum (La), ytterbium (Yb), or erbium (Er). In another embodiment, the molecule includes one of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), or bismuth (Bi). In another embodiment, the molecule is a metal oxide molecule, a metal nitride molecule, a metal sulfide molecule, a metal silicate molecule, or a metallic molecule. In another embodiment, the first ligands include an isonitrile ligand, a nitrile ligand, a phosphine ligand, a sulfide ligand, or a carbene ligand. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of an acid. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of a carboxylic acid, a sulfonic acid, or a phosphonic acid. In another embodiment, the first ligands include a conjugate base of a thiol, an alcohol, an amine, an amide, a carbamate, a phenol, an alkane, or an arene.

Techniques and architectures for providing a patterned mask structure are described herein. In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of certain embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that certain embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the description.

Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

Some portions of the detailed description herein are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the computing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consi stent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the discussion herein, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

Certain embodiments also relate to apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs) such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and coupled to a computer system bus.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description herein. In addition, certain embodiments are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of such embodiments as described herein.

Besides what is described herein, various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and implementations thereof without departing from their scope. Therefore, the illustrations and examples herein should be construed in an illustrative, and not a restrictive sense. The scope of the invention should be measured solely by reference to the claims that follow.