Aromatic Underlayer Film for EUV Outgassing Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-energy radiation resist films face challenges with adhesion, resist shape characteristics, barrier performance, etching speed, and outgassing issues during exposure, particularly with EUV, electron beam, and X-ray applications, leading to contamination and development defects.
Innovation Solution
A composition for forming an underlayer film incorporating an aromatic ring or hetero ring structure, which is used to create a polymer or cross-linking compound, is applied to semiconductor substrates, forming a film that suppresses outgassing and improves adhesion and etching characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional photoresist compositions are used for high-energy radiation exposure, then lithography processes can be performed, but outgassing occurs during exposure leading to chamber contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic outgassing component from the resist system by introducing a barrier underlayer film that specifically blocks decomposition product gases, separating the function of pattern formation from contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The underlayer film acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the resist film, mediating the harmful interaction by absorbing and blocking decomposition products generated during high-energy radiation exposure, thus protecting the chamber environment
2Productivity
If high-energy radiation with shorter wavelength is used to increase integration density, then more complex semiconductor devices can be produced, but outgassing and contamination problems worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resist system into multiple functional layers: the resist film for pattern formation and a separate underlayer film for contamination control, allowing each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure with the underlayer film comprising specific polymer components (novolac resin, polyhydroxystyrene) combined with crosslinking agents, creating a material that simultaneously provides adhesion, barrier performance, and low outgassing characteristics
3Object-generated harmful factors
If underlayer film is introduced to prevent outgassing, then contamination is reduced, but adhesion and etching characteristics must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight and composition parameters of the underlayer film materials, specifically using polymers with number average molecular weights of 10,000-50,000 and controlling the content of aromatic rings and hetero rings to achieve the desired balance of adhesion, barrier performance, and etching characteristics
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 underlayer film effectively reduces outgassing to 1.00×10^14 molecules/cm²/s, enhances adhesion and etching speed, and prevents contamination, addressing reflection and static electrification issues during high-energy radiation exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a film component having an aromatic ring structure or a hetero ring structure... suppress outgassing during the irradiation with high-energy radiation
Data Source
AI summary
Underlayer films of high-energy radiation resists applied onto semiconductor substrates in a lithography process for producing semiconductor devices and that are used to prevent reflection, static electrification, and development defects and to suppress outgassing during the exposure of resist layers with high-energy radiation are prepared from compositions including a film component having an aromatic ring structure or a hetero ring structure. The film component having an aromatic ring structure or a hetero ring structure is contained at a proportion of 5 to 85% by mass. The film component may be a compound having an aromatic ring structure or a hetero ring structure, and the compound may be a polymer or a polymer precursor including a specific repeating unit. The aromatic ring may be a benzene ring or fused benzene ring, and the hetero ring structure may be triazinetrione ring.