Block Co-Polymer Self-Assembly for Sub-50nm Pattern Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photolithography techniques face limitations in achieving fine patterns with minimum feature sizes below 50 nanometers due to issues like agglomerated polymer chains, fast acid diffusion, and line edge roughness in chemically amplified resist materials, making it difficult to control pattern resolution and line edge roughness in semiconductor fabrication.
Innovation Solution
The use of block co-polymer materials, which self-assemble into phase-separated patterns through an annealing process, forming alternating first and second polymer block patterns that can be used as mask patterns to improve pattern resolution and reduce line width and line edge roughness, enabling the creation of fine patterns with feature sizes of 50 nanometers or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If chemically amplified resist materials are used in photolithography, then pattern formation is enabled, but line edge roughness and pattern resolution control deteriorate due to agglomerated polymer chains and fast acid diffusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resist material by using block co-polymer materials with specific block ratios and molecular weights, and modifies the etch selectivity parameters through controlled etching processes to achieve both fine pattern resolution and smooth line edges
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures including block co-polymer resist materials composed of different polymer blocks with distinct properties, and combines multiple material layers with different etch selectivities to simultaneously achieve fine patterning and reduced line edge roughness
2Length of moving object
If conventional photolithography techniques are used, then fabrication process is simplified, but minimum feature size is limited to above 50 nanometers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional photolithography mechanical/optical patterning with a self-organized chemical patterning mechanism using block co-polymers, where the phase separation of different polymer blocks naturally forms periodic patterns at the desired nanoscale dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The block co-polymer material performs self-patterning through spontaneous phase separation during annealing, where the immiscible polymer blocks automatically organize into periodic structures without requiring external photolithography patterning steps
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 block co-polymer materials facilitate the formation of nano-scale patterns with reduced line width and line edge roughness, enhancing pattern resolution and reducing fabrication costs by leveraging self-assembly processes similar to existing photoresist materials, thus aiding in the realization of interface layers with widths of a few nanometers or less.
Implementation Method 1
a block co-polymer layer phase-separated into first polymer block patterns on the brush patterns and second polymer block patterns on the buried polymer patterns
Implementation Method 2
The use of block co-polymer materials, which self-assemble into phase-separated patterns through an annealing process
Implementation Method 3
which self-assemble into phase-separated patterns through an annealing process
Data Source
AI summary
A fine pattern structure includes a layer having or including alternating protrusion portions and recess portions, polymer patterns disposed in recess regions formed by the recess portions, brush patterns disposed on top surfaces of the protrusion portions, and a block co-polymer layer including first polymer block patterns formed on the brush patterns and second polymer block patterns formed on the polymer patterns.