Carboxylic Acid Dry Development of Metal-Containing Resist Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in appropriately dry-developing exposed metal-containing resist films, which is crucial for precise substrate processing in semiconductor manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A method for processing a substrate involves providing a substrate with a metal-containing resist film having distinct regions, and then dry-developing the resist film by exposing it to a processing gas containing carboxylic acid, with a pressure or partial pressure of the carboxylic acid maintained between 0.3 Torr and 100 Torr.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional dry development is used on metal-containing resist, then the process is simple, but the development precision and selectivity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the pressure or partial pressure of carboxylic acid to be 0.3 Torr or more and less than 100 Torr. This specific parameter range enables appropriate dry development of metal-containing resist by controlling the reaction conditions, thereby achieving high development precision while maintaining process feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs local quality by using carboxylic acid that selectively reacts with exposed metal-containing resist regions. The processing gas contains carboxylic acid at controlled concentration, which selectively removes the second region (exposed area) while preserving the first region (unexposed area), achieving high selectivity in development
2Productivity
If high pressure of carboxylic acid is used, then development speed increases, but selectivity and control precision decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by defining a specific pressure range for carboxylic acid (0.3 Torr or more and less than 100 Torr). This optimized parameter range balances development speed and selectivity, preventing both too-slow development (at very low pressure) and loss of selectivity (at very high pressure)
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
This method enables appropriate dry-development of the metal-containing resist, ensuring selective removal of specific regions with high precision and control, thereby improving the substrate processing outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
dry-developing the resist film by supplying a processing gas containing a carboxylic acid into the processing chamber, exposing the substrate to the carboxylic acid, and selectively removing the second region with respect to the first region
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for processing a substrate is provided. The method for processing a substrate includes (a) providing a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber, the substrate having an underlying film and a resist film disposed on the underlying film and formed of a metal-containing resist, and the resist film having a first region and a second region. The method for processing a substrate further includes (b) dry-developing the resist film by supplying a processing gas containing a carboxylic acid into the processing chamber, exposing the substrate to the carboxylic acid, and selectively removing the second region with respect to the first region. In the (b), a pressure or a partial pressure of the carboxylic acid is 0.3 Torr (40 Pa) or more and less than 100 Torr (13,332 Pa).