Aromatic Hydrocarbon Resin for Lithography Underlayer Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aromatic hydrocarbon resins used in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges such as high costs, complex reaction processes, and limitations in achieving a balance between etching resistance and solvent solubility, particularly in the context of microfabrication where high carbon concentration and thin film thickness are required for advanced lithography techniques.
Innovation Solution
Aromatic hydrocarbon resin is synthesized by reacting an aromatic hydrocarbon, an aldehyde, and a phenol derivative in the presence of an acidic catalyst, resulting in a polymer with high carbon concentration and excellent etching resistance, suitable for use as an underlayer film in lithography processes, which also maintains high solvent solubility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acenaphthene resin is used to achieve high carbon concentration and etching resistance, then etching resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and reaction process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by specifying a resin containing 80-95 mass% carbon and 5-20 mass% sulfur, which fundamentally alters the material properties to achieve both high etching resistance and improved solubility while using more accessible raw materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resin system combining carbon-rich aromatic structures with sulfur-containing functional groups, achieving synergistic effects where the sulfur components improve solubility and processability while the carbon framework provides etching resistance
2Manufacturing precision
If resin film thickness is reduced to achieve finer pattern resolution, then pattern refinement is improved, but film thickness becomes insufficient for substrate processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the functional properties of the resist material by incorporating sulfur-containing compounds that enhance etching resistance, allowing the resist film to be made thinner for better resolution while still providing sufficient protection during substrate processing
3Reliability
If conventional resist underlayer film is used to provide etching resistance, then etching resistance is improved, but dry etching speed selectivity becomes mismatched with resist and substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition of the resist material itself to contain 5-20 mass% sulfur, which fundamentally alters the etching characteristics to achieve speed selectivity that is matched between the resist and substrate, eliminating the need for separate underlayer films
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 resulting resin provides enhanced etching resistance and solvent solubility, enabling improved performance in microfabrication processes, particularly in forming thin films and maintaining pattern resolution during substrate processing.
Implementation Method 1
reacting an aromatic hydrocarbon, an aldehyde, and a phenol derivative in the presence of an acidic catalyst
Implementation Method 2
in the presence of an acidic catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an aromatic hydrocarbon resin with a high carbon concentration and a low oxygen concentration that can be used as a coating agent or a resist resin for semiconductors, as well as a composition for forming an underlayer film for photolithography with excellent etching resistance as an underlayer film for a multilayer resist process, an underlayer film formed from the composition, and a method for forming a pattern using the underlayer film. An aromatic hydrocarbon, an aromatic aldehyde, and a phenol derivative are reacted in the presence of an acidic catalyst to yield an aromatic hydrocarbon resin with a high carbon concentration of 90 to 99.9 mass % and a solubility in propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate of 10 mass % or more.