Method of protecting acid-catalyzed photoresist from chip-generated basic contaminants

This invention relates to the integrated circuit (IC) fabricating processes using photolithographically patterned photoresist materials of the type whose solubility or insolubility is acid-catalyzed during development of the photoresist. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new and improved method of protecting the acid-catalyzed photoresist material from the adverse influence of chemically-basic contaminants, such as ammonia, which are inherently generated by components of the IC as it undergoes fabrication. The present invention permits more precise and resolved etching of the components of the IC during fabrication, which leads to fewer failed ICs due to fabrication defects. Increased resolution is available from acid-catalyzed photoresist used in fabricating integrated circuits by inhibiting chemically-basic contaminants from contacting the photoresist placed above an IC structure which emits those chemically-basic contaminants. The inhibition can result from physical barrier characteristics of a barrier layer placed between the contaminant-emitting surface and the overlying layer of photoresist, or the layer of barrier material may contain acid moieties which chemically neutralize the emitted chemically-basic contaminants before the contaminants reach the photoresist.