Actinic Ray-Sensitive Resin Composition for Low LWR Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin compositions suffer from deteriorated line width roughness (LWR) performance in pattern formation, particularly when using resist compositions disclosed in JP2015-024989A.
Innovation Solution
An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is developed, comprising a resin with increased polarity through acid decomposition and a compound that generates acid upon irradiation, featuring a repeating unit with an acid-decomposable group and specific structural sites that form multiple acidic sites, along with a photoacid generator that includes compounds (I) and (II), optimizing the composition to improve LWR performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a photoacid generator including a salt with predetermined structure is used, then sensitivity is improved, but line width roughness performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the photoacid generator by introducing specific structural features (structural sites X and Y with anionic and cationic sites) to achieve dual functionality: maintaining sensitivity while improving LWR performance. This structural parameter modification allows the photoacid generator to produce multiple acidic sites that suppress acid diffusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite photoacid generator structure combining multiple functional sites (anionic site A1-, cationic site M1+, anionic site A2-, cationic site M2+) within a single molecular framework. This composite structure enables the molecule to generate multiple acidic sites simultaneously, achieving both high sensitivity and excellent LWR performance.
2Productivity
If acid diffusion is not suppressed, then development speed is improved, but pattern uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a resin with specific repeating units (Formula 1) as an intermediary that interacts with the photoacid generator. This resin acts as a mediator that localizes acid generation and suppresses acid diffusion while maintaining development speed, thereby achieving both productivity and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by designing the photoacid generator to produce acidic sites at specific locations (structural sites X and Y) within the molecule. This localized acid generation suppresses acid diffusion to surrounding areas, ensuring uniform pattern formation while maintaining development efficiency.
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 proposed resin composition achieves excellent LWR performance by suppressing acid diffusion and ensuring uniform dispersion of the photoacid generator, thereby enhancing the quality of the formed patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation
Implementation Method 2
a resin of which polarity increases through decomposition by an action of an acid
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition by which a pattern having excellent LWR performance can be formed. In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a resist film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each relating to the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition.The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition of an embodiment of the present invention is an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin of which polarity increases through decomposition by the action of an acid, and a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, in which the resin has a repeating unit represented by General Formula (1) as a repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group, and the compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation includes any one or more of a compound (I) or a compound (II).