Photoimageable composition

Abstract

Disclosed are photoimageable compositions containing silsesquioxane binder polymers and photoactive compounds, methods of forming relief images using such compositions and methods of manufacturing electronic devices using such compositions. Such compositions are useful as photoresists and in the manufacture of optoelectronic devices.

Description

BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to photoimageable compositions. In particular, the present invention relates to photoimageable silsesquioxane compositions. Photoresists are photosensitive films used for transfer of images to a substrate. A coating layer of a photoresist is formed on a substrate and the photoresist layer is then exposed through a photomask to a source of activating radiation. The photomask has areas that are opaque to activating radiation and other areas that are transparent to activating radiation. Exposure to activating radiation provides a photoinduced chemical transformation of the photoresist coating to thereby transfer the pattern of the photomask to the photoresist-coated substrate. Following exposure, the photoresist is developed to provide a relief image that permits selective processing of a substrate. A photoresist can be either positive-acting or negative-acting. For most negative-acting photoresists, those coating layer portions tha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

It has been surprisingly found that the present silsesquioxane-containing polymers are suitable for use in bilayer resist systems and have lower dissolution rates than conventional silsesquioxane polymers. It has been further found that the present polymers have improved lithographic performance as compared to such conventional bilayer silsesquioxane polymers.

Problems solved by technology

However, at shorter wavelengths the depth of focus of the exposure tool, which may be an excimer stepper, or step and scan tool, may be adversely affected.

However, the major drawback of using a thin layer of resist is that the variation of resist thickness over a diffusion step on a substrate and into an etched pattern increases as the pattern size becomes smaller.

Therefore, in a single layer resist system, the lack of dimensional control on the wafer can create different line widths throughout the resist which reduces the quality of the electronic package.

However, this reaction is not highly reproducible and often gives crosslinked polymer.

Conventional silicon-containing polymers, such as the above discussed silsesquioxane polymers, for use in bilayer resist systems have dissolution rates that are too high.

Such high dissolution rates can negatively affect the lithographic performance of such bilayer resist systems.

However, such increased amount of blocking results in slower photospeeds and a reduced percentage of silicon in the resist.

Such reduced silicon content may adversely affect the etch resistance of the resist.

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