Azide Photoresist Composition for High-Resolution EUV Patterning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chemically amplified photoresists face challenges in achieving fine line widths and uniformity due to acid catalyzed reactions, leading to resolution limits, line edge roughness, and critical dimension uniformity issues, especially under EUV exposure.
Innovation Solution
A non-chemically amplified semiconductor photoresist composition incorporating a polymer with azide functional groups and a C—H moiety, developed using an acidic aqueous solution, which blocks chemical blur and reduces swelling, enabling high-resolution pattern formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If chemically amplified photoresist is used to achieve high sensitivity, then photospeed is improved, but resolution and line edge roughness deteriorate due to acid diffusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the photoacid generator component from the photoresist composition, extracting the acid-catalyzed amplification mechanism that causes diffusion. This eliminates the source of acid diffusion while maintaining photosensitivity through direct photolysis of the polymer backbone, resolving the contradiction between high photospeed and fine resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental mechanism from chemical amplification (acid-catalyzed) to direct photolysis. By altering the photosensitivity mechanism parameter, the system achieves high sensitivity without the diffusion-related resolution degradation, as the polymer directly cleaves upon light absorption without generating mobile acid species
2Use of energy by moving object
If chemically amplified photoresist is used to achieve high sensitivity, then photospeed is improved, but line edge roughness and critical dimension uniformity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the photoacid generator and acid-catalyzed amplification pathway from the system. By removing these components, the diffusion-induced composition variability that causes line edge roughness is eliminated, while photosensitivity is maintained through the direct photolysis mechanism of the polymer backbone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a polymer structure that directly copies the light absorption event into bond cleavage without an intermediate acid generation step. This direct coupling eliminates the diffusion process that creates composition variability and line edge roughness, achieving stable pattern formation with high sensitivity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional alkaline or organic developer is used, then development occurs, but swelling increases reducing pattern resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional development approach by using an acidic aqueous solution instead of alkaline or organic developers. This reversal prevents swelling that occurs with traditional developers, as the acidic environment does not cause the polymer matrix to expand, thereby maintaining fine pattern resolution while enabling effective development
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 solution improves resolution and critical dimension uniformity by preventing acid diffusion and swelling, resulting in enhanced pattern formation without the need for a post-exposure bake, thus improving line edge roughness and uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
a polymer including a structural unit including at least one azide functional group
Implementation Method 2
a single molecular compound including a C—H moiety
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a semiconductor photoresist composition and a method of forming patterns using the same, the semiconductor photoresist composition including a polymer including a structural unit including at least one azide functional group; a single molecular compound including a C—H moiety; and a solvent.