Alicyclic Polymer Resist Underlayer for EUV Pattern Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resist underlayer films in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges such as non-uniformity, pinholes, and poor adhesion, especially in EUV lithography, leading to defects and deteriorated line width roughness, while requiring improved sensitivity and rectangular shape retention during pattern formation.
Innovation Solution
A resist underlayer film-forming composition comprising a polymer terminated with an aliphatic ring, optionally containing a carbon-carbon bond interrupted by a heteroatom and substituted with specific groups, along with an organic solvent, crosslinking agent, and curing catalyst, to enhance film uniformity and adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional resist underlayer film is used in EUV lithography, then the manufacturing process can proceed, but the film exhibits non-uniformity, pinholes, and poor adhesion leading to defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the polymer by introducing specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine groups) and controlling the molecular weight (1,000-10,000) and aliphatic ring content (5-30 mass%). These parameter changes improve film uniformity and adhesion while reducing line width roughness and defects in EUV lithography
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite polymer structure combining aliphatic rings with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine groups). This composite structure at the molecular level provides both the uniformity needed for defect-free films and the adhesion properties required for precise patterning in EUV lithography
2Manufacturing precision
If the film thickness is reduced to achieve finer line widths in EUV lithography, then the resolution improves, but the film becomes non-uniform and develops defects such as pinholes and aggregations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameter (1,000-10,000) and functional group content (5-30 mass%) to achieve films that remain uniform even at reduced thicknesses (1-10 nm). The specific aliphatic ring structure with functional groups ensures proper film formation and adhesion, preventing pinholes and aggregations while maintaining the precision needed for sub-32 nm line widths
3Strength
If a resist pattern is formed with high adhesion requirements, then the pattern stability improves, but the line width roughness and variation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the polymer parameters including molecular weight (1,000-10,000), functional group content (5-30 mass%), and aliphatic ring structure to achieve optimal balance between adhesion and line width uniformity. The carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amine groups provide strong adhesion to substrates while the controlled molecular structure prevents excessive line width variation, enabling high-quality patterning
Data Source
AI summary
A composition for forming a resist underlayer film that enables the formation of a desired resist pattern; and a method for producing a resist pattern and a method for producing a semiconductor device, each of which uses the above-described resist underlayer film forming composition. A resist underlayer film forming composition which contains a polymer having, at an end, an aliphatic ring that may be substituted by a substituent, while having a carbon-carbon bond that may be interrupted by a heteroatom, and which additionally contains an organic solvent. The aliphatic ring is a monocyclic or polycyclic aliphatic ring having 3-10 carbon atoms. The polycyclic aliphatic ring is a bicyclic ring or a tricyclic ring.