Anti-Reflective Coating Composition for Low-Temperature Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high-temperature baking process of organic anti-reflective coatings in semiconductor manufacturing leads to outgassing, causing contamination and process inefficiencies due to solid particle condensation, which complicates the photolithographic process.
Innovation Solution
An anti-reflective coating composition comprising a crosslinkable polymer with hydroxyl groups that can be crosslinked at a lower temperature using a crosslinking agent with amino or alkoxyl-substituted amino groups, reducing outgassing and subsequent cleaning needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-temperature baking is applied to crosslink and cure the organic anti-reflective coating, then the coating achieves proper curing and crosslinking, but outgassing occurs causing contamination and requiring additional cleaning processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the organic polymer by incorporating specific crosslinkable functional groups (epoxy, oxetane, dioxolane, dioxane, furan rings) that enable crosslinking at lower temperatures. This parameter change in the molecular structure allows the coating to achieve proper curing while minimizing outgassing that occurs with conventional high-temperature baking processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite organic polymer system combining light-absorbing components with crosslinkable polymer components containing specific functional groups. This composite material approach enables the coating to achieve both proper crosslinking and reduced outgassing by synergistically combining different functional components that work together at lower processing temperatures
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional organic anti-reflective coating with high-temperature baking is used, then the coating can be applied by spin-on process simplifying the flow, but outgassing during baking causes solid particle condensation requiring additional cleaning steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing temperature parameter from conventional high-temperature baking to lower temperature crosslinking (enabled by the specific crosslinkable functional groups in the polymer). This parameter change eliminates outgassing issues while maintaining the simplicity of the spin-on application process, thereby improving overall process efficiency without adding cleaning steps
3Object-affected harmful factors
If inorganic anti-reflective coating layer is used, then reflections from substrate are reduced, but special equipment and more process steps are required increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops an organic polymer composite material containing light-absorbing components and crosslinkable functional groups that together provide anti-reflective properties comparable to inorganic coatings. This organic composite approach eliminates the need for special inorganic coating equipment and complex deposition processes while maintaining effective reflection reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an organic polymer-based anti-reflective coating that can be applied as a disposable spin-on layer, eliminating the need for expensive, complex inorganic coating equipment. The organic coating achieves the required anti-reflective function without requiring specialized deposition equipment or complex multi-step inorganic coating processes
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 approach simplifies the process flow, reduces costs, and enhances the yield of qualified products by minimizing pattern damage from gas condensation.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinkable polymer; the crosslinkable polymer comprises a monomer unit formed by a monomer represented by formula (I)
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an anti-reflective coating composition comprising an organic polymer; the organic polymer comprises a crosslinkable polymer; the crosslinkable polymer comprises a monomer unit formed by a monomer represented by formula (I). As compared with the prior art, the crosslinkable polymer provided by the present disclosure comprises hydroxyl group can be crosslinked with a crosslinking agent containing amino group and/or alkoxyl-substituted amino group at a relatively low baking temperature, so that the baking temperature of the anti-reflective coating composition is reduced. The outgassing during its baking process can be effectively solved or reduced. By doing so, unnecessary cleaning processes are reduced while the patterns damage due to falling of solid particles formed by gas condensation is significantly reduced. Therefore, the overall process flow can be simplified and the relevant cost could be reduced effectively.