Acid-Responsive Resist Composition for Fine EUV Pattern Fidelity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resist compositions struggle to achieve high sensitivity, reduced roughness, and improved etching resistance in the formation of fine resist patterns required for advanced lithography technologies, particularly in EUV and EB processes, where pattern dimensions are in the range of several tens of nanometers.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition that generates an acid upon light exposure, featuring a resin component with a constitutional unit derived from a specific compound represented by General Formula (a0-m0), which includes a polymerizable group-containing group and an acid dissociable group, allowing for solubility changes in developing solutions to form precise resist patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the resist pattern dimension is reduced to several tens of nanometers for advanced lithography, then the resolution is improved, but the sensitivity and roughness characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of the resin component by introducing specific constitutional units with formula (a0-m0) containing fluorinated groups and carboxylic acid groups. This changes the physical and chemical parameters of the resist material, enabling improved sensitivity and roughness control at reduced pattern dimensions without sacrificing resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The resist composition uses a composite resin system combining multiple constitutional units including fluorinated aromatic compounds and carboxylic acid-containing groups. This composite structure allows the material to simultaneously achieve high resolution, sensitivity, and roughness control by integrating different functional properties within a single resin system
2Manufacturing precision
If the resist pattern dimension is reduced to several tens of nanometers, then the resolution is improved, but the roughness characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The introduction of fluorinated constitutional units with specific molecular structures changes the surface energy and solubility parameters of the resist material. This parameter modification enables better control over line edge roughness while maintaining the ability to form fine patterns at reduced dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates specific local chemical groups (fluorinated aromatic groups and carboxylic acid groups) at strategic positions within the resin structure. These localized functional groups provide specific interactions that control roughness at the patterned interface while maintaining overall pattern fidelity
3Manufacturing precision
If the resist film is thinned for further miniaturization, then the resolution is improved, but the etching resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The resist composition employs a composite resin system where fluorinated aromatic constitutional units provide etching resistance while carboxylic acid groups enhance solubility control. This composite structure allows thin film formation with adequate etching resistance by combining materials with complementary properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the molecular weight and chemical composition parameters of the resin to achieve optimal balance between film thickness and etching resistance. The specific fluorinated structure with formula (a0-m0) provides enhanced chemical stability and etching resistance even at reduced film thicknesses
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 provides excellent sensitivity, roughness characteristics, and etching resistance, enabling the formation of high-quality resist patterns with reduced line edge roughness and improved etching performance.
Implementation Method 1
a chemically amplified resist composition containing a base material component whose solubility in a developing solution is changed by an action of an acid and an acid generator component that generates an acid upon light exposure
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition having favorable sensitivity, roughness characteristics, and etching resistance; a resist pattern formation method; and a novel compound that is useful as a resin component for the resist composition. The resist composition generates an acid upon exposure to light and changes solubility in developing solutions by the action of the acid, and includes a polymer compound having a constituent unit derived from a compound represented by general formula (a0-m0), as a resin component that changes in solubility in developing solutions by the action of an acid. In general formula (a0-m0), W01 is a polymerizable-group-containing group; W02 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group; Ra01 is a specific acid-dissociable group; Ra02 is an iodine atom or a bromine atom; and n is an integer of 1 or greater