Dry resist system and method of using
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- TW · TW
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-06-09
- Publication Date
- 2023-04-01
Smart Images
Figure TWG2TA000902560_001 
Figure TWG2TA000902560_002 
Figure TWG2TA000902560_003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing systems, and more specifically, to a dry photoresist system and a method for forming a patterned mask comprising dry photoresist. [Cross-reference to related applications]
[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 212,000, filed on June 17, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Previous Technology]
[0003] Photolithography is commonly used to pattern thin films during semiconductor processing, in which photons are emitted from a light source onto a photosensitive photoresist to trigger a chemical reaction within the photoresist. Subsequently, the photoresist is developed, and the exposed or unexposed portions of the photoresist are removed to form a pattern or mask.
[0004] Significant technological advancements have been made in the scaling of semiconductor devices, including advanced lithography techniques such as immersion lithography. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation can be used to provide improved pattern resolution in advanced integrated circuits where feature size reduction is required. Common EUV photoresists are polymer-based chemically amplified photoresists (CARs), which are deposited on substrates using liquid-based spin-coating techniques that waste significant amounts of composite precursors. Recently, inorganic-based photoresists have attracted interest because they can be patterned using EUV radiation and offer the high etch resistance and etch selectivity required for semiconductor manufacturing. [Summary of the Invention]
[0005] According to one embodiment, the manufacturing platform includes: one or more transport modules for moving a substrate within the manufacturing platform, wherein one of the transport modules includes a measurement system configured to measure the deformation of the substrate; one or more photoresist deposition modules for depositing dry photoresist on the substrate; one or more exposure tools for exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation; and one or more etching modules for removing exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist by dry etching to form a mask on the substrate.
[0006] According to another embodiment, the operation method of the manufacturing platform includes: moving a substrate within the manufacturing platform using one or more transport modules; depositing dry photoresist on the substrate using a photoresist deposition module of the manufacturing platform; inspecting the deformation of the substrate using a measurement system, wherein the measurement system is part of one of the one or more transport modules; exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation using an exposure tool of the manufacturing platform; and removing the exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist using an etching module of the manufacturing platform.
[0007] According to yet another embodiment, the exposure process includes: forming a film on a substrate in a deposition module, wherein the film is formed in a vacuum; moving the substrate from the deposition module to a photoresist deposition module using a transfer module; depositing a dry photoresist on the substrate in the photoresist deposition module, the dry photoresist comprising metal and oxygen; checking for deformation of the substrate using a measurement system, wherein the measurement system is part of the transfer module; and moving the substrate to an exposure tool using the transfer module, wherein the exposure tool exposes the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation, wherein the substrate remains in a vacuum from the formation of the film to the exposure of the dry photoresist.
[0008] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only, and are not intended to limit the content of this disclosure (as claimed in this case).
Implementation Method
[0018] The manufacture and use of various embodiments will be discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the various embodiments described herein are applicable in various specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are only used to illustrate the specific ways of manufacturing and using various embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the scope.
[0019] In the framework of this description, the terms "embodiment" or "an embodiment" are used to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or feature described with respect to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the use of terms such as "in an embodiment" or "in one embodiment" in one or more places in this description does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific configurations, structures, or features may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. The references used herein are provided for convenience only and therefore do not limit the scope or protection of such embodiments.
[0020] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, this application relates to a system and method for forming a patterned mask comprising dry photoresist for EUV patterning. By shifting to a smaller imaging source wavelength, EUV lithography extends current photolithography techniques beyond their optical limits to pattern features with small critical dimensions. EUV light sources with wavelengths, for example, approximately 13.5 nm, can be used in advanced lithography tools, also known as scanners. EUV radiation is strongly absorbed in a wide range of solid materials and gases; therefore, the radiation path needs to operate in a vacuum to avoid absorption by ambient gases such as H2O and O2.
[0021] EUV lithography typically uses organic hard masks (e.g., PECVD amorphous hydrogen-containing carbon ashing hard masks), which are patterned using conventional photoresist processing. During photoresist exposure, EUV radiation is absorbed by the photoresist and the underlying substrate. This generates high-energy photoelectrons (e.g., with energies of approximately 100 eV), followed by a series of low-energy secondary electrons (e.g., with energies of approximately 10 eV) that diffuse laterally over several nanometers. These low-energy secondary electrons increase the degree of chemical reaction in the photoresist, thereby increasing its EUV dose sensitivity. However, the inherently random secondary electron pattern is superimposed on the optical image. This unwanted secondary electron exposure leads to a loss of resolution, noticeable line edge roughness (LER) and linewidth variation in the patterned photoresist. These defects are replicated in the material to be patterned during subsequent pattern transfer etching.
[0022] It has been found that metal oxide materials (e.g., containing antimony (Sb) metal) are particularly suitable for direct EUV patterning because they strongly absorb EUV light. Unlike insulators such as photoresists, metal oxide materials are less susceptible to the secondary electron exposure effect because secondary electrons can rapidly lose energy and become thermally heated by scattering with conduction electrons.
[0023] Exemplary Sb-containing precursors may be alkylamine-based (e.g., tris(dimethylamino)antimony, (Me2N)3Sb), alkoxide-based (e.g., Sb(OEt)3), or halide-based (e.g., SbCl3). Exemplary oxygen-containing precursors include glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, isopropanol, quinone, O3, CO, and CO2. Furthermore, halogens (e.g., F) may be added to one or more of these process gases to enhance adsorption. Other metal oxide membranes may include methyl acrylate (MAA) of Sb, Hf, Zr, and Zn, such as ZrMAA, SbMAA, SbMAA:F, HfMAA, ZnMAA, and ZnMAA:F.
[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure describe a manufacturing platform and method for depositing dry photoresist comprising metal oxide films and metal alkoxide films, which can be used as dry photoresist for EUV patterning in integrated circuit manufacturing. In some examples, the metal oxide films and metal alkoxide films may include tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), or zinc (Zn). The metal oxide films and metal alkoxide films may also include other chemical elements, including carbon, halogens, or both.
[0025] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the context of the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of a manufacturing platform for processing multiple substrates will be illustrated using Figures 1 to 2B. Embodiments of a manufacturing process including the formation, patterning, and development of dry photoresist as a photoresist film will be illustrated using Figures 3A-3D. Embodiments of a deposition process for forming dry photoresist will be illustrated using Figure 4. Embodiments of an operation method for the manufacturing platform will be illustrated using Figure 5. Embodiments of a method for exposure processing will be illustrated using Figure 6.
[0026] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, Figures 1 to 2B schematically illustrate a manufacturing platform and its components for processing multiple substrates. The manufacturing platform is configured according to an advanced patterning scheme (e.g., EUV photopatterning) for high-volume formation of inorganic dry photoresist and etching of the photoresist. The manufacturing platform can operate under vacuum conditions to prevent or reduce processing variations caused by air exposure, such as photoresist degradation.
[0027] According to some embodiments, FIG1 illustrates a manufacturing platform 1 in cross-sectional view. The manufacturing platform 1 includes an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) 10, transfer modules 12, 14, 16, 18, and a plurality of processing modules. The processing modules may include one or more etching modules 20, 22, 24, one or more deposition modules 30, 32, 34, one or more exposure tools 40, one or more developing / baking modules 42, and one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60. By performing processing in a vacuum and transferring substrates between processing chambers without breaking the vacuum, the manufacturing platform 1 can reduce variations in the substrate caused by processing due to air exposure. By avoiding exposure of the substrate to air, photoresist degradation can be reduced or prevented. The operation of the manufacturing platform 1 can be automated (e.g., controlled by a controller such as a programmable computer), which can increase production output and reduce processing variability by reducing user interference.
[0028] The Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) 10 is used to transfer one or more substrates into the manufacturing platform 1. For example, the substrate may be a silicon wafer with a diameter ranging from 100 mm to 500 mm, such as 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, or 450 mm. However, EFEM 10 can be used to transfer substrates of any suitable size into the manufacturing platform 1. EFEM 10 may be housed in one or more wafer cassettes supporting the substrate (wafer). EFEM 10 may be maintained at atmospheric pressure but purged with an inert gas to provide a clean environment.
[0029] Next, one or more substrates can be transferred to a transfer module (TM) 12 operating under vacuum conditions, for example, through one or more load lock chambers (not shown). The plurality of TMs 12, 14, 16, and 18 can cooperate to provide movement of the substrates within the manufacturing platform 1 according to a desired processing sequence. The processing sequence can be controlled and automated by a controller of the manufacturing platform 1. The plurality of TMs 12, 14, 16, and 18 are coupled to a plurality of processing modules. Such processing modules can provide various processing steps or functions and may include one or more etching modules 20, 22, and 24; one or more deposition modules 30, 32, and 34; one or more exposure tools 40; one or more developing / baking modules 42; and one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 for depositing dry photoresist on the substrate. In one example, one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 may be multi-wafer modules, each configured to simultaneously process multiple substrates (e.g., 5 or fewer). Typically, each TM 12, 14, 16, 18 includes a chamber housing a transfer robot capable of moving substrates through various gates and channels or transfer ports into various processing or measurement modules while maintaining vacuum conditions around the substrates. TM 12, 14, 16, 18 can operate simultaneously to move multiple substrates between various processing or measurement modules under vacuum conditions to achieve high throughput in manufacturing platform 1.
[0030] Furthermore, one or more of TM 12, 14, 16, and 18 may be configured to inspect the substrate after processing. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of TM 12, 14, 16, and 18 includes a measurement system for measuring the deformation of the substrate. The measurement system may include a laser sensor, a conformal colorimetric sensor to detect substrate deformation or deflection, optical measurements (e.g., for thickness measurement, roughness measurement, CD (critical dimension) measurement, etc.), infrared measurements (e.g., Fourier transform IR) to measure carbon content, etc., or combinations thereof. If the substrate has a deformation greater than desired, one or more of TM 12, 14, 16, and 18 may discard the substrate.
[0031] In some embodiments, the measurement results of the measurement system can be used to correct for deformation of the substrate in one or more of the TM 12, 14, 16, 18. For example, an actuator in one or more of the TM 12, 14, 16, 18 can apply pressure to a portion of the substrate (e.g., the edge of the substrate) to reduce the deformation of the substrate detected by the measurement system. Deformation correction can be performed in one or more of the TM 12, 14, 16, 18 after any processing steps that may cause or increase substrate deformation (e.g., deposition, etching, exposure, development, baking, etc.).
[0032] In one example, a film can be deposited on a substrate in one or more deposition modules 30, 32, 34. Subsequently, the film can be patterned using a patterned dry photoresist as a mask. Deposition modules 30, 32, 34 can process multiple substrates to achieve high throughput in manufacturing platform 1.
[0033] Next, the substrate can be conveyed via TM 12, 14, 16, 18 to one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 for depositing dry photoresist on the substrate. The dry photoresist can be a metal oxide, a metal alkoxide film, methyl acrylate (MAA) of Sb, Hf, Zr, and Zn, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the dry photoresist includes tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), or zinc (Zn). The dry photoresist may further include other chemical elements, including carbon, halogens, or both. One or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 can simultaneously deposit dry photoresist on multiple substrates to achieve high throughput in manufacturing platform 1.
[0034] Next, the substrate can be conveyed via TMs 18 and 16 to one or more exposure tools 40 for exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation. In some embodiments, one or more exposure tools 40 use wavelengths in the range of fluorinated krypton laser wavelength (248 nm) to EUV wavelength (13.5 nm). One or more exposure tools 40 can simultaneously expose multiple substrates to achieve high throughput in manufacturing platform 1. In some embodiments, each exposure tool 40 exposes one substrate at a high speed, for example, more than 100 wafers per hour (WPH). By processing many substrates simultaneously during earlier and later processing steps, manufacturing platform 1 can utilize the high processing speed of one or more exposure tools 40 to achieve an overall high throughput of more than 100 WPH to match the exposure WPH.
[0035] After exposure, the substrate can be transferred via TMs 14 and 12 to one or more developing / baking modules 42, where the dry photoresist is developed / baked according to the radiation pattern of the exposure process. In some embodiments, the developing / baking module 42 is part of an individual exposure tool 40. One or more developing / baking modules 42 can develop and / or bake multiple substrates to achieve high throughput in the manufacturing platform 1. The developing module can be wet or dry.
[0036] Next, the substrate is conveyed to one or more etching modules 20, 22, 24 via TM 14 and 12 to remove exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist film by etching, thereby forming a dry photoresist mask on the substrate. The etching process can be dry etching or wet etching. One or more etching modules 20, 22, 24 can simultaneously etch multiple substrates to achieve high throughput in manufacturing platform 1. Afterward, the substrate can be removed from manufacturing platform 1 via EFEM 10 or 11. In another example, after forming the dry photoresist mask on the substrate, a film can be selectively deposited on exposed material in one or more deposition modules 30, 32, 34.
[0037] According to some embodiments, FIG2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the manufacturing platform 2. FIG2B illustrates a small-batch module 70 of the manufacturing platform 2. The manufacturing platform 2 is similar to the manufacturing platform 1 (see above, FIG1) and includes one or more small-batch modules 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 for depositing dry photoresist on a substrate. One or more small-batch modules 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 are multi-wafer modules configured to simultaneously process multiple substrates (e.g., 25 to 50 substrates stacked vertically on multiple plates 71). The multiple wafers are stacked vertically, one on top of another and separated by gaps, and processed in a horizontal orientation. By using an individual plate 71 for each wafer being processed, deposition on the back side of the wafer can be reduced or prevented. Manufacturing platform 2, with small batch modules 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, and 80, achieves high throughput, for example, greater than 200 WPH.
[0038] Next, referring to Figures 3A-3D, the steps of an exemplary manufacturing process are illustrated, including the formation, patterning, and development of a dry photoresist as an EUV-sensitive photoresist film. According to various embodiments, Figures 3A-3D illustrate a cross-sectional view of an exemplary substrate 100 during a manufacturing process for forming a dry photoresist on a substrate and then performing EUV lithography patterning.
[0039] FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a substrate 100 to be patterned. For example, substrate 100 may be a silicon wafer with a diameter ranging from 100 mm to 500 mm, such as 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, or 450 mm. In various embodiments, substrate 100 may be part of or include a semiconductor element, and may have undergone several processing steps, such as conventional processing. Therefore, substrate 100 may include a semiconductor layer useful in various microelectronic devices. For example, a semiconductor structure may include substrate 100, in which various element regions are formed.
[0040] In one or more embodiments, substrate 100 may be a silicon wafer or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. In some embodiments, substrate 100 may include silicon germanium, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, or other compound semiconductors. In other embodiments, substrate 100 includes heterolayers, such as silicon germanium on silicon, gallium nitride on silicon, silicon carbon on silicon, and silicon layers on silicon or SOI substrates. In various embodiments, substrate 100 is patterned or embedded in other components of a semiconductor device. For example, substrate 100 may have a film deposited on substrate 100 in one of 30, 32, 34. The film may then be patterned by using a subsequently patterned dry photoresist (see below, Figures 3B-3D) as a mask. Next, the substrate 100 is transferred to one of the photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 via one of the TM 12, 14, 16, and 18 to deposit dry photoresist on the substrate 100.
[0041] FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the substrate 100 after the dry photoresist 102 has been deposited over the substrate 100. As shown in FIG. 3B, in one example, the dry photoresist 102 is formed on the surface of the substrate 100. In various embodiments, although not shown, the substrate 100 may further include various layers useful for semiconductor device fabrication, which are collectively referred to as part of the substrate 100 in this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, a dielectric layer may be provided over the substrate 100, including silicon-based dielectric materials having a low dielectric constant (i.e., a low k value), such as organosilicon glass (SiCOH), dense SiCOH, porous SiCOH, and other porous dielectric materials. In addition, a hard mask layer may be provided over the substrate 100, which can be patterned in a subsequent etching process after EUV patterning. In various embodiments, the hard mask includes titanium nitride, titanium, titanium oxide, tantalum, tungsten carbide, other tungsten-based compounds, ruthenium-based compounds, or aluminum-based compounds. The hard mask may also include carbon-based or silicon-based masking materials. Furthermore, the dry photoresist 102 may be formed as part of a multilayer stack typically used for photolithography patterning. The multilayer stack can be used to generate and transfer patterns to the hard mask and then to an underlying layer, such as a dielectric layer of substrate 100. In various embodiments, the multilayer stack includes a lower layer and the dry photoresist 102 above the lower layer as an EUV-sensitive photoresist. In one or more embodiments, the lower layer includes a carbon material (e.g., silicon carbide or silicon carbide oxide) and may be formed by spin coating or vapor deposition (e.g., CVD). The multilayer stack may further include an oxide (e.g., silicon oxide) layer or a nitride (e.g., titanium nitride or silicon nitride) layer located above the lower layer and the dry photoresist 102. For ease of illustration, Figures 3A-3D only show the dry photoresist 102 directly deposited on the substrate 100, but as mentioned above, in various embodiments, any suitable multilayer structure may exist as part of the substrate 100.
[0042] In various embodiments, the dry photoresist 102 includes tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), zinc (Zn), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the dry photoresist 102 includes metal oxides, metal alkane oxides, or methyl acrylate (MAA) of Sn, Sb, Hf, Zr, Zn, etc., such as ZrMAA, SbMAA, SbMAA:F, HfMAA, ZnMAA, and ZnMAA:F.
[0043] In various embodiments, after the dry photoresist 102 is formed above the substrate 100, the substrate is conveyed to the developing / baking module 42 via TMs 18 and 16, and post-coating baking (PAB) is performed to remove any excess solvent from the wet process, residual volatile byproducts from the dry process, or both. In some embodiments, PAB may be performed by heating the substrate 100 in the developing / baking module 42, in a vacuum or under a gas flow, at a temperature ranging from 50°C to 450°C. The substrate 100 is then conveyed to the exposure tool 40 via TMs 18 and 16.
[0044] FIG3C illustrates a cross-sectional view of the substrate 100 after EUV exposure in the exposure tool 40. The method further includes, as schematically shown in FIG3C, exposing the substrate 100 to an EUV light pattern 104. A photomask can be used to generate the EUV light pattern 104. In response to exposure to the EUV light pattern 104, a photoreaction can occur in the exposed area 105 of the dry photoresist 102, while the unexposed area 107 remains unchanged. Due to this photoreaction, the exposed area 105 may include a cross-linked dry photoresist, which may have material properties substantially different from the unreacted portion of the dry photoresist 102 (i.e., the unexposed area 107). Such differences in material properties include volatility, reactivity, and / or solubility, etc., which leads to the characterization of the photoresist.
[0045] Figure 3D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the substrate 100 after the development step. The substrate 100 is conveyed to the development / baking module 42 by TMs 18 and 16 for the development step, and then conveyed to one of the etching modules 20, 22, and 24 by TMs 14 and 12 for the etching step. In Figure 3D, the exposed area 105 is developed and removed by dry etching or wet etching to form a patterned dry photoresist mask, which includes an unexposed area 107 and an opening 108 that exposes the underlying substrate 100. Typically, photoresist can be removed in a wet process by treating the substrate with a developing solution to dissolve the reacted (in the case of positive photoresist) or unreacted (in the case of negative photoresist) areas of the photoresist. In various embodiments, a similar wet process can be applied to the development of the dry photoresist 102. Alternatively, in other embodiments, dry processing can be used. Dry processing may include, for example, selective plasma etching or thermal processing, advantageously eliminating the use of a developing solution. In some embodiments, reactive ion etching (RIE) or atomic layer etching (ALE) may be used to perform dry processing. The opening 108 can then be used in an etching process to etch features into the substrate 100. In some embodiments, dry processing for the formation and development of the dry photoresist 102 allows for better processing control at the nanometer level compared to wet processing, for example, for forming features with critical dimensions of several nanometers or sub-nanometers.
[0046] In various embodiments, after EUV exposure (FIG. 3C) and before the development step (FIG. 3D), the substrate 100 is transferred to the developing / baking module 42 and post-exposure baking (PEB) is performed to further create a difference in material properties between the exposed region 105 and the unexposed region 107. In some embodiments, PEB may be performed by heating the substrate 100 in the developing / baking module 42, in a vacuum or under a gas flow, at a temperature ranging from 70°C to 450°C (e.g., from 180°C to 225°C).
[0047] In the embodiments described above with reference to Figures 3A-3D, the dry photoresist 102 is a negative photoresist. In other embodiments, the dry photoresist 102 may form a positive photoresist, wherein the exposed area 105 can be removed by a development step, and the unexposed area 107 is retained. In one embodiment, the positive photoresist may be achieved by performing additional chemical treatment (e.g., polymerization) to increase the etch resistance of the unexposed area 107 after EUV exposure, where photoreaction in the exposed area 105 reduces etch resistance. Furthermore, the etch resistance of the dry photoresist 102 may be reduced by performing a selective deposition process, thereby achieving a positive photoresist.
[0048] According to some embodiments, FIG4 illustrates the flow rate of a deposition process for forming a dry photoresist 102 on a substrate 100 (see above, FIG3B). In some embodiments, the deposition process for the dry photoresist 102 includes exposing the substrate 100 to two precursors in a processing chamber (e.g., one of photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60). The two precursors may be a metal precursor (e.g., a gas containing one or more metals) and an oxidant or oxidizing agent (e.g., an oxygen-containing precursor). Exposure to these precursors may be performed stepwise or simultaneously.
[0049] In various embodiments, the deposition process is an ALD, pseudo-ALD, CVD, PEALD, or PECVD process, and includes two or more exposure steps. For example, as shown in FIG4, the deposition process is carried out by first contacting the substrate 100 with a metal-containing precursor by flowing it to form an adsorption layer on the substrate 100. As an example, when the metal is antimony (Sb), the metal-containing precursor may be alkylamine-based (e.g., tris(dimethylamino)antimony, (Me2N)3Sb), alkoxide-based (e.g., Sb(OEt)3), or halide-based (e.g., SbCl3).
[0050] Next, the flow of the metal-containing precursor ends, and the processing chamber is purged by flowing an inert gas (e.g., argon or nitrogen (N2)) to remove any remaining trace amounts of the metal-containing precursor. The processing chamber may be evacuated before and / or after the purging step using the inert gas.
[0051] Subsequently, an oxygen-containing precursor gas is introduced into the chamber to contact the adsorption layer containing the metal precursor on the substrate 100. The oxygen-containing precursor may be glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, isopropanol, quinone, O3, CO, CO2, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, a halogen (e.g., fluorine) is added to one or more of these processing gases to enhance adsorption. The adsorption layer containing the metal precursor reacts with the oxygen-containing precursor gas to form a layer of metal oxide, metal alkoxide, Sb, Hf, Zr, and Zn methyl acrylate (MAA), etc., for use in the dry photoresist 102.
[0052] In some embodiments, the oxygen-containing precursor is a metal alkoxide. For example, when the metal is antimony (Sb), the metal-containing precursor may be (Me₂N)₃Sb, and the oxygen-containing precursor may be Sb(OEt)₃. In this example, the oxygen-containing precursor (which also contains Sb) may flow into the chamber before or after the metal-containing precursor, and the metal oxide may be formed on the substrate 100 by the reaction of the metal-containing precursor with the metal alkoxide without the addition of an additional oxidant. Additional carbon may be added by flowing a gas containing tertiary carbon.
[0053] These exposure steps can be repeated one or more times to increase the thickness of the dry photoresist 102 on the substrate 100. In some embodiments, these exposure steps can be separated temporally or spatially. Temporal separation of these exposure steps can be achieved by changing the gas composition in the processing chamber, as described above with respect to the procedure illustrated in FIG4. On the other hand, spatial separation of these exposure steps can be achieved by utilizing multiple spatially separated regions within the processing chamber and transferring the substrate 100 from one region to another. Temporal separation of vapor exposure steps may further include evacuating and purging the processing chamber, or both, between these exposure steps, as described above with respect to the procedure illustrated in FIG4. These additional steps can help ensure that the reaction occurs only on the surface and not in the gas phase. The ALD or pseudo-ALD method according to this embodiment may be particularly advantageous in enabling the dry photoresist 102 to be grown layer by layer with high uniformity.
[0054] In another embodiment, a metal-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor may be simultaneously supplied to the processing chamber to grow the dry photoresist 102, instead of an ALD-type process. Such an embodiment may be advantageous by allowing the dry photoresist 102 to grow continuously in a single step. In this embodiment, the reaction between these precursors may or may not occur in the gas phase and on the surface.
[0055] In other embodiments, the dry photoresist 102 can be deposited by liquid-phase deposition using alternating exposures of a metal-containing precursor liquid and an oxygen-containing precursor liquid. Liquid-phase deposition may further include rinsing the substrate with a rinsing solution to remove excess and / or unreacted portions of the precursor between the exposure steps. The rinsing solution may contain deionized water, common organic solvents (e.g., acetone and isopropanol), or mixtures thereof. In another embodiment, the liquid precursors may be mixed first, and the mixed solution may be coated onto the substrate to grow the dry photoresist 102. In one or more embodiments, one of the precursors may be gaseous, and the other may be liquid; therefore, two different delivery modes (vapor and liquid) can be used to perform the deposition process.
[0056] According to some embodiments, FIG5 illustrates a flowchart of a method 200 for operating a manufacturing platform 1. Step 202 includes moving a substrate 100 within the manufacturing platform 1 using one or more transfer modules (TMs) 12, 14, 16, 18, as described above with respect to FIG1. Step 204 includes depositing dry photoresist 102 on the substrate 100 using one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, as described above with respect to FIG1, 3B, and 4. Step 206 includes inspecting the substrate 100 for deformation using a measurement system, as described above with respect to FIG1. The measurement system may be part of one or more transfer modules 12, 14, 16, 18. Step 208 includes exposing the dry photoresist 102 to UV or EUV radiation using one or more exposure tools 40, as described above with respect to FIG1 and 3D. Step 210 includes using one or more etching modules 20, 22, 24 to remove the exposed portion of the dry photoresist 102 in the exposed area 105 or the unexposed portion of the dry photoresist 102 in the unexposed area 107.
[0057] According to some embodiments, FIG6 illustrates a flowchart of a method 300 for exposure processing. Step 302 includes forming a film over a substrate 100 under vacuum conditions in one or more deposition modules 30, 32, 34, as described above with respect to FIG1. Step 304 includes moving the substrate 100 from one or more deposition modules 30, 32, 34 to one or more photoresist deposition modules 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 using one or more transfer modules (TM) 12, 14, 16, 18, as described above with respect to FIG1. Step 306 includes depositing a dry photoresist 102 comprising metal and oxygen over the substrate 100 in the photoresist deposition module, as described above with respect to FIG1, 3B, and 4. Step 308 includes checking the deformation of the substrate using a measurement system that is part of a transfer module, as described above with respect to FIG. 1. Step 310 includes moving the substrate 100 to an exposure tool 40 using the transfer module, wherein the dry photoresist 102 is exposed to UV or EUV radiation, as described above with respect to FIG. 1 and 3D. From the formation of the film to the exposure of the dry photoresist 102, the substrate 100 remains in a vacuum.
[0058] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are summarized herein. Other embodiments can also be understood from the entire specification and the claims set forth herein.
[0059] Example 1. The manufacturing platform includes: one or more transport modules for moving a substrate within the manufacturing platform, wherein one of the one or more transport modules includes a measurement system configured to measure the deformation of the substrate; one or more photoresist deposition modules for depositing dry photoresist on the substrate; one or more exposure tools for exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation; and one or more etching modules for removing exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist by dry etching to form a mask on the substrate.
[0060] Example 2. The manufacturing platform of Example 1 further includes one or more developing / baking modules, wherein the one or more developing / baking modules are wet-based or dry-based.
[0061] Example 3. A manufacturing platform such as that of Example 1 or 2, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to process multiple substrates simultaneously.
[0062] Example 4. A manufacturing platform as in one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to simultaneously process a plurality of vertically stacked substrates.
[0063] Example 5. A manufacturing platform as described in any of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to deposit a metal oxide dry photoresist or a metal alkoxide dry photoresist on the substrate.
[0064] Example 6. The manufacturing platform of Example 5, wherein the metal oxide dry photoresist or the metal alkoxide dry photoresist comprises tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr) or zinc (Zn).
[0065] Example 7. A manufacturing platform such as that of Example 5 or 6, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing a diol.
[0066] Example 8. The manufacturing platform of one of Examples 5 to 7, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing metal alkoxide.
[0067] Example 9. The manufacturing platform of one of Examples 5 to 8, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist includes tin alkoxide or antimony alkoxide.
[0068] Example 10. A method of operating a manufacturing platform includes: moving a substrate within the manufacturing platform using one or more transport modules; depositing dry photoresist on the substrate using a photoresist deposition module of the manufacturing platform; inspecting the deformation of the substrate using a measurement system, wherein the measurement system is part of one of the transport modules; exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation using an exposure tool of the manufacturing platform; and removing exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist using an etching module of the manufacturing platform.
[0069] Example 11. The method of Example 10, wherein the dry photoresist includes a metal oxide dry photoresist or a metal alkoxide dry photoresist.
[0070] Example 12. The method of Example 11, wherein the metal oxide dry photoresist or the metal alkoxide dry photoresist comprises tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr) or zinc (Zn).
[0071] Example 13. The method of one of Examples 11 or 12, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing a diol.
[0072] Example 14. The method of one of Examples 11 to 13, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist includes tin alkoxide or antimony alkoxide.
[0073] Example 15. An exposure process includes: forming a film on a substrate in a deposition module, wherein the film is formed in a vacuum; moving the substrate from the deposition module to a photoresist deposition module using a transfer module; depositing a dry photoresist on the substrate in the photoresist deposition module, the dry photoresist comprising metal and oxygen; inspecting the deformation of the substrate using a measurement system, wherein the measurement system is part of the transfer module; and moving the substrate to an exposure tool using the transfer module, wherein the exposure tool exposes the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation, wherein the substrate remains in a vacuum from the formation of the film to the exposure of the dry photoresist.
[0074] Example 16. The method of Example 15, wherein depositing the dry photoresist includes causing a metal-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor to flow over the substrate.
[0075] Example 17. The method of Example 16, wherein the metal-containing precursor includes antimony.
[0076] Example 18. The method of one of Examples 16 or 17, wherein the oxygen-containing precursor includes antimony alkyl oxide.
[0077] Example 19. The method of one of Examples 16 to 18, wherein the metal-containing precursor includes alkoxides.
[0078] Example 20. The method of one of Examples 15 to 19 further includes inspecting the substrate using optical measurement for thickness measurement, roughness measurement, critical size measurement or carbon content measurement, wherein the optical measurement is part of the transmission module.
[0079] Although embodiments have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. In different drawings, the same elements are indicated by the same element symbols. Furthermore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein, as those skilled in the art will readily understand from this disclosure that existing or future processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps can perform substantially the same functions or achieve substantially the same results as the corresponding embodiments described herein. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to include such processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps within their scope. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]
[0009] To more fully understand the present invention and its advantages, reference will now be made to the following description and accompanying figures, wherein:
[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a manufacturing platform for processing multiple substrates according to an embodiment;
[0011] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of another manufacturing platform for processing multiple substrates according to an embodiment;
[0012] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of a small-batch module of a manufacturing platform for processing multiple substrates according to an embodiment;
[0013] Figures 3A-3D illustrate intermediate steps in the manufacturing process of dry photoresist according to some embodiments;
[0014] Figure 4 illustrates the flow rate of the deposition process for forming dry photoresist according to some embodiments;
[0015] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an operation method for a manufacturing platform according to some embodiments; and
[0016] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method for exposure processing according to some embodiments.
[0017] Unless otherwise stated, corresponding numbers and symbols in different drawings generally represent corresponding parts. The drawings are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant features of these embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The edges of features shown in the drawings do not necessarily indicate the end of the range of the feature.
Claims
1. A manufacturing platform, comprising: One or more transport modules for moving a substrate within the manufacturing platform, wherein one of the transport modules includes a measurement system configured to measure deformation of the substrate; one or more photoresist deposition modules for depositing a dry photoresist on the substrate; one or more exposure tools for exposing the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation; and one or more etching modules for removing exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist by a dry etching process to form a mask on the substrate.
2. The manufacturing platform of claim 1 further includes one or more developing / baking modules, wherein the one or more developing / baking modules are wet-based or dry-based.
3. The manufacturing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to process multiple substrates simultaneously.
4. The manufacturing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to simultaneously process a plurality of vertically stacked substrates.
5. The manufacturing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more photoresist deposition modules are configured to deposit a metal oxide dry photoresist or a metal alkoxide dry photoresist on the substrate.
6. The manufacturing platform of claim 5, wherein the metal oxide dry photoresist or the metal alkoxide dry photoresist comprises tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr) or zinc (Zn).
7. The manufacturing platform of claim 5, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing diols.
8. The manufacturing platform of claim 5, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing a metal alkoxide.
9. The manufacturing platform of claim 5, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist includes tin alkoxide or antimony alkoxide.
10. A method of operating a manufacturing platform, comprising: One or more transfer modules are used to move a substrate within the manufacturing platform; Using a photoresist deposition module of one of the manufacturing platforms, a dry photoresist is deposited on the substrate; using a measurement system, the deformation of the substrate is inspected, wherein the measurement system is part of one or more transport modules; using an exposure tool of one of the manufacturing platforms, the dry photoresist is exposed to UV or EUV radiation; and using an etching module of one of the manufacturing platforms, the exposed or unexposed portions of the dry photoresist are removed.
11. The method of operating the manufacturing platform as claimed in claim 10, wherein the dry photoresist includes a metal oxide dry photoresist or a metal alkoxide dry photoresist.
12. The method of operating the manufacturing platform as claimed in claim 11, wherein the metal oxide dry photoresist or the metal alkoxide dry photoresist comprises tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr) or zinc (Zn).
13. The method of operating the manufacturing platform of claim 11, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist is deposited using an oxidant containing a diol.
14. The method of operating the manufacturing platform as claimed in claim 11, wherein the metal alkoxide dry photoresist includes tin alkoxide or antimony alkoxide.
15. A method for exposure processing, comprising: In a deposition module, a film is formed above a substrate, wherein the film is formed in a vacuum; the substrate is moved from the deposition module to a photoresist deposition module using a transfer module; in the photoresist deposition module, a dry photoresist comprising a metal and oxygen is deposited above the substrate; deformation of the substrate is inspected using a measurement system, wherein the measurement system is part of the transfer module; and the substrate is moved to an exposure tool using the transfer module, wherein the exposure tool exposes the dry photoresist to UV or EUV radiation, wherein the substrate remains in a vacuum from the formation of the film to the exposure of the dry photoresist.
16. The exposure process of claim 15, wherein depositing the dry photoresist includes flowing a metal-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor over the substrate.
17. The exposure process of claim 16, wherein the metal-containing precursor includes antimony.
18. The method of exposure processing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the oxygen-containing precursor includes antimony alkyl oxide.
19. The method of exposure processing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the metal-containing precursor includes alkoxides.
20. The exposure process method of claim 15 further includes inspecting the substrate using optical measurement for thickness measurement, roughness measurement, critical size measurement or carbon content measurement, wherein the optical measurement is part of the transfer module.