Acid-Generating Resist Composition for Immersion Lithography Defect Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resist materials face challenges in maintaining high resolution and reducing line width roughness while minimizing defects and substance elution during liquid immersion exposure, particularly in semiconductor and liquid crystal display element manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition that includes a base material component and a compound represented by General Formula (d0), which generates an acid upon light exposure to change solubility in a developing solution, forming either positive or negative-tone resist patterns through selective exposure and development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If liquid immersion exposure is used to achieve high resolution, then resolution is improved, but substance elution occurs causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the resist film by incorporating specific compounds (Formula D0) with particular molecular structures containing aromatic hydrocarbon groups and hydrocarbon chains. This changes the elution characteristics of the resist film, reducing substance elution into the liquid immersion medium while maintaining high resolution performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite resist composition combining multiple components: base material (A), acid generator (B), and the specific compound (D0). This composite structure leverages the properties of each component to achieve both high resolution and reduced substance elution, where the compound D0 specifically addresses the elution issue while the other components maintain lithography performance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If resist film is made more hydrophobic to suppress substance elution, then defect occurrence is reduced, but lithography characteristics may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the chemical parameters of the resist composition, specifically the molecular structure and concentration of compound D0. This allows optimization of the balance between hydrophobicity (to suppress elution) and lithography characteristics (resolution, sensitivity), avoiding excessive hydrophobicity that would harm performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces local chemical heterogeneity by incorporating compound D0 with specific aromatic hydrocarbon groups and hydrocarbon chains into the resist film matrix. This creates localized regions with enhanced hydrophobicity that suppress elution without uniformly degrading lithography characteristics across the entire film.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition enhances both roughness characteristics and suppresses defect occurrence, improving lithography performance in semiconductor and liquid crystal display element manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
an acid generator component (B) that generates an acid upon light exposure
Implementation Method 2
a liquid (liquid immersion medium) having a refractive index higher than that of air is interposed between an objective lens of an exposure device and a sample to carry out light exposure
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition which generates an acid upon light exposure and whose solubility in a developing solution is changed by an action of the acid, in which the resist composition contains a compound represented by General Formula (d0) in which RAr represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group; t represents an integer of 1 or greater; R01 and R02 represent a chain hydrocarbon group; R03 represents a chain hydrocarbon group or a hydrogen atom; or two or more of R01, R02, and R03 are bonded to each other to form a ring structure; m represents an integer of 1 or greater; and Mm+ represents an m-valent organic cation