Aryl Sulfonate Salt Resist Underlayer Film Reducing Sublimate
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Solution Overview
Problem
The generation of sublimates during the formation of resist underlayer films in semiconductor device production leads to contamination and quality issues, as thermal acid generators like aryl sulfonic acid salts and acids exhibit inefficiencies in crosslinking reactions and interact negatively with polymer resins, causing aging and defects.
Innovation Solution
A resist underlayer film-forming composition incorporating aryl sulfonic acid salts with a hydroxy group, which acts as a crosslinking catalyst, promoting acidity and reducing sublimate generation by enhancing the crosslinking reaction while minimizing interaction with polymer resins, thereby reducing aging and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aryl sulfonic acid salts are used as crosslinking catalyst, then crosslinking reaction can be promoted, but sublimate generation increases causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific parameter - the pKa value of the crosslinking catalyst - and optimizes it to be within 0-5. This parameter change transforms the catalyst's properties to achieve both effective crosslinking reaction promotion and reduced sublimate generation, resolving the contradiction between reaction efficiency and contamination control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite aryl sulfonic acid salt compounds that combine the catalytic functionality with modified molecular structures. These composite catalysts maintain strong acid generation capability for crosslinking while reducing sublimation tendency, thus addressing both the effectiveness and contamination issues
2Reliability
If aryl sulfonic acid is used as crosslinking catalyst, then strong acidity promotes crosslinking reaction, but interaction with polymer resin causes aging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aryl sulfonic acid salts as intermediary compounds that generate strong acid only during the crosslinking process. These salts act as mediators between the polymer resin and the crosslinking agent, providing the necessary acidity for crosslinking without causing premature or excessive interaction that would lead to aging
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the pKa parameter within 0-5 and selecting specific salt forms, the patent modulates the acid strength and release characteristics. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient acidity for crosslinking while minimizing harmful interactions with the polymer resin, thus maintaining composition stability
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 use of aryl sulfonic acid salts with a hydroxy group effectively reduces sublimate generation and aging, improving the stability and quality of the resist underlayer film, thereby enhancing semiconductor device production processes.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinking catalyst for a resist underlayer film-forming composition... a thermal acid generator such as a sulfonic acid compound... aryl sulfonic acid salts... indicate neutrality or weak acidity in the resist underlayer film-forming composition and thus thermal decomposition is required to generate strong acid required for the crosslinking reaction
Implementation Method 2
thermal decomposition is required to generate strong acid required for the crosslinking reaction
Implementation Method 3
a crosslinkable compound (a crosslinking agent) and a catalyst (a crosslinking catalyst) for promoting the crosslinking reaction are added to the resist underlayer film-forming composition in addition to the polymer resin as a main component in order to form such a thermally curable film
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a resist underlayer film-forming composition to reduce the amount of sublimate generated from the resist underlayer film at baking process and to suppress aging and have high storage stability. A resist underlayer film-forming composition including an aryl sulfonic acid salt compound having a hydroxy group of Formula (1):(where Ar is a benzene ring or an aromatic hydrocarbon ring wherein benzene rings are condensed; m1 is an integer of 0 to (2+2n), m2 and m3 each is an integer of 1 to (3+2n), and (m1+m2+m3) is an integer of 2 to (4+2n), with the proviso that n is the number of the benzene rings or condensed benzene rings in the aromatic hydrocarbon ring and is an integer of 1 to 6; X+ is NH4+, a primary ammonium ion, secondary ammonium ion, tertiary ammonium ion, quaternary ammonium ion, sulfonium ion, or an iodonium cation).