| abstract |
A method of forming an anti-reflective coating material layer in the fabrication of integrated circuits includes providing a substrate assembly having a surface and providing an inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer on the substrate assembly surface. The inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer has an associated first etch rate when exposed to an etchant. The method further includes thermally treating the inorganic anti-reflective coating material layer formed thereon such that the thermally treated anti-reflective coating material layer then has an associated second etch rate less than the first etch rate when exposed to the etchant, e.g., the second etch rate is less than 16 Å/minute, the second etch rate is less than 20% of the first etch rate, etc. |