A patterned photoresist layer, for example, an EUV photoresist layer, which may show line width roughness (LWR) and line edge roughness (LER) or residue, is treated with a plasma treatment before subsequent etching processes. The plasma treatment reduces LWR, LER, and/or photoresist residue. In an exemplary embodiment, the plasma treatment may include a plasma formed by using a gas having a boron and halogen compound. In one embodiment, the gas compound may be a boron and chlorine compound, for example, boron trichloride (BCl_3) gas. In another embodiment, the gas compound may be a boron and fluorine compound, for example, B_xF_y gas. The plasma treatment process can modify a photoresist surface to improve LWR, LER, and residue effects by removing roughness from the photoresist surface and removing photoresist residues which may cause residue.
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