Developer/rising-liquid composition for preventing image from damage in corrosion-resistant agent

Abstract

An apparatus and method for developing a photoresist pattern on an electronic component substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, is provided. The method and apparatus use a specified developer composition followed by a specified rinse composition to develop the exposed resist pattern and then rinse the developed pattern. Both the developer composition and the rinse composition contained an anionic surfactant, and when the two solutions were used in sequence, it was found that even when forming small features such as line widths less than 150 nm and aspect ratios greater than about 3, the Provides a resist pattern that prevents image destruction. Preferably, an agitated development and agitated rinse process is used to develop and rinse the exposed wafer. Preferred anionic surfactants are ammonium perfluoroalkyl sulfonates and ammonium fluoroalkyl carboxylates.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to the fabrication of electronic components such as semiconductors for integrated circuits, and more particularly to a method for preventing the destruction of resist patterns in the photolithography step of integrated circuit fabrication, wherein the resist patterns are formed on the surface of a wafer, Used in subsequent etching steps to remove or add material. Background technique [0002] Fabrication of circuits on electronic component substrates such as thin film integrated circuits and semiconductor devices such as wafers requires the use of microlithography processes to define circuit patterns. Photolithographic processing defines substrate areas for later etch removal or material addition and the trend for integration continues to reduce feature sizes including circuit linewidths. [0003] Photolithography is based on patterned exposure to light and subsequent development of a light-sensitive photoresist...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In one type of destruction, the tops of the patterns touch each other and pattern destruction results in bending, breaking, tearing or peeling of the resist pattern, rendering the patterned wafer unsuitable for further processing

[0011] Image corruption is a serious problem especially as the features on the wafer become smaller such as aspect ratios greater than about 3 and line widths less than 150nm