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Photomask blank, resist pattern forming process, and photomask preparation process

a pattern forming and resist technology, applied in the field of resist pattern forming process, can solve the problem of difficult control of in-plane uniformity of line width (cd uniformity), and achieve the effect of high in-plane accuracy and in-plane uniformity of line width

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-12-11
SHIN ETSU CHEM IND CO LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a process for forming a resist pattern for high-accuracy formation of a fine feature pattern, with improved in-plane uniformity of line width, using a photomask blank with a resist film deposited thereon. The resist film comprises a base resin, an acid generator, a basic compound, and a polymer with specific recurring units. The polymer helps to increase the contact angle with neutral water of the resist film and improve the in-plane uniformity of line width. The use of this specific polymer in the resist film results in a high-throughput and high-accuracy mask pattern formation process.

Problems solved by technology

A tradeoff arises between these problems.
In particular, it is difficult to control the in-plane uniformity of line width (CD uniformity) because the CD uniformity can be affected by almost all steps (e.g., resist coating, storage after coating, EB image writing, PEB, development, and etching) involved in the mask fabrication.

Method used

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  • Photomask blank, resist pattern forming process, and photomask preparation process
  • Photomask blank, resist pattern forming process, and photomask preparation process
  • Photomask blank, resist pattern forming process, and photomask preparation process

Examples

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example

[0676]Examples and Comparative Examples are given below by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Preparation of Polymers

[0677]Polymers or polymeric additives as component (D) to be added to resist compositions were synthesized by a process including selection of suitable monomers, copolymerization in isopropyl alcohol medium, crystallization in hexane, repeated washing with hexane, isolation, and drying. The composition of these polymers was analyzed by 1H-NMR, and the weight average molecular weight (Mw) and dispersity (Mw / Mn) determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

Preparation of Resist Compositions

[0678]Resist compositions were prepared in accordance with the formulation shown in Table 1. The values in Table 1 are expressed in parts by weight (pbw). The components shown in Table 1 are identified below.[0679]Polymers 1 to 6: as described above[0680]Polymer 7: hydroxystyrene-4-(1-methoxy-2-methoxy)hydroxystyrene copolymer[0681]Polymer 8: hydroxystyrene-acetoxys...

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Abstract

A photomask blank has a resist film comprising (A) a base resin, (B) an acid generator, and (C) a basic compound. The resist film further comprises (D) a polymer comprising recurring units having a side chain having a fluorinated hydrocarbon group which contains a carbon atom to which a hydroxyl group is bonded and vicinal carbon atoms bonded thereto, the vicinal carbon atoms having in total at least two fluorine atoms bonded thereto. Addition of polymer (D) ensures uniform development throughout the resist film, enabling to form a resist pattern having high CD uniformity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 2007-150130 filed in Japan on Jun. 6, 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This invention relates to a process for forming a resist pattern by lithography using high-energy radiation such as UV, deep-UV, electron beam, x-ray, excimer laser, gamma-ray or synchrotron radiation, and especially beam lithography, a process for preparing a photomask using the resist pattern formed thereby, and a photomask blank having a chemically amplified positive resist film deposited thereon to which the foregoing processes are advantageously applicable so that the blank is processed into a photomask.BACKGROUND ART[0003]The recent trend toward higher integration in the integrated circuit technology poses a demand for finer feature size patterns. Acid-catalyzed chemically amplified resists are thought promi...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03F1/00G03F7/20C08F16/14C08F20/10G03F1/20G03F1/50G03F7/004G03F7/039H01L21/027
CPCG03F1/14G03F7/0392G03F7/0046G03F1/50G03F1/62
Inventor KOITABASHI, RYUJIWATANABE, SATOSHITAKEDA, TAKANOBUMASUNAGA, KEIICHIWATANABE, TAMOTSU
Owner SHIN ETSU CHEM IND CO LTD
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