Reactive chemical treatments of metal-containing photoresist

The treatment of organo-metal-oxide EUV photoresists with halogen gases and controlled thermal processes addresses the limitations of traditional EUV lithography, improving feature resolution and reliability by increasing density and etch contrast while reducing defects in semiconductor manufacturing.

WO2026136381A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-06-25LAM RES CORP
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
LAM RES CORP
Filing Date
2025-12-16
Publication Date
2026-06-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Current photolithography processes face challenges in achieving small feature sizes due to the limitations of traditional organic chemically amplified resists in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, including low absorption coefficients and pattern collapse issues, necessitating improved EUV photoresist materials with increased absorbance and etch resistance.

Method used

A method involving the use of organo-metal-oxide EUV photoresists treated with halogen gases to selectively remove organic ligands, followed by controlled thermal processes, enhances the EUV photoresist's properties, increasing density and etch contrast without oxygen or hydrogen-containing species, thereby improving pattern fidelity and reducing defects.

Benefits of technology

The treatment method increases the EUV photoresist's density and etch contrast, reduces scumming and defectivity, and allows for lower radiation doses, enhancing the reliability and reproducibility of small feature formation in semiconductor manufacturing.

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Abstract

A metal-containing photoresist such as an organo-metal-oxide EUV photoresist is exposed to a reactive chemical treatment. The reactive chemical treatment may expose the metal-containing photoresist to one or more halogen-containing gases, where the one or more halogen-containing gases may selectively remove R-groups bonded to metal atoms in the photoresist. The reactive chemical treatment reduces dose-to-size for effective photoresist exposure, increases a density of the photoresist, increases etch contrast between exposed and unexposed regions of the photoresist, and reduces defectivity. The reactive chemical treatment may be performed without an oxygen-containing species or hydrogen-containing species, and reduces a temperature of a post-exposure bake that is performed in the photolithography process. In some implementations, the reactive chemical treatment is performed post-application, post-exposure, or post-development in a photolithography process.
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