Cyclic Adhesion Promoters for EUV Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
EUV lithography in semiconductor manufacturing faces challenges with weakened adhesion strength between the pattern material and the underlying substrate due to smaller feature widths, leading to issues like resist scumming, residue, and tailing, which current adhesion promoters like HMDS cannot effectively address.
Innovation Solution
The use of specific cyclic and non-cyclic compounds such as Hexaphenylcyclotrisiloxane (HPCTS) and Octaphenylcyclotetrasiloxane (OPCTS) as adhesion promoters, which provide improved adhesion and resist film thickness control, reducing scumming and residue formation by enhancing the interaction between the photoresist and the semiconductor substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If EUV lithography is used to achieve smaller feature widths, then patterning resolution is improved, but adhesion strength between photoresist and substrate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a molecular primer as an intermediary layer between the photoresist and substrate. This primer layer mediates the interaction between the two, providing sufficient adhesion strength while enabling the use of EUV lithography for smaller feature widths. The primer acts as a bridge that resolves the conflict between achieving high-resolution patterning and maintaining strong adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the adhesion promoter by transitioning from conventional HMDS to molecular primers with specific chemical compositions and structures. This parameter change enables the system to achieve both EUV lithography compatibility and sufficient adhesion strength, resolving the contradiction between patterning resolution and adhesion strength.
2Strength
If conventional adhesion promoters like HMDS are used, then adhesion is provided, but resist scumming, residue, and tailing occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition and molecular structure parameters of the adhesion promoter from conventional HMDS to specifically designed molecular primers. This parameter change eliminates the harmful effects of scumming, residue, and tailing while maintaining effective adhesion, directly resolving the contradiction between adhesion strength and defect formation.
3Manufacturing precision
If feature width is decreased for higher resolution, then patterning precision is improved, but adhesion area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical interaction parameters at the interface by introducing molecular primers with enhanced adhesion properties. This allows the system to compensate for the reduced physical adhesion area caused by smaller feature widths, maintaining sufficient adhesion strength despite the decreased contact area.
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
These compounds effectively improve the adhesion and resist film thickness, reducing scumming and residue formation, and allow for better control of the interfacial profile in EUV lithography, leading to more reliable and precise semiconductor pattern formation.
Implementation Method 1
improve the adhesion and resist film thickness, reducing scumming and residue formation, and allow for better control of the interfacial profile
Data Source
AI summary
An adhesion promoter composition comprising at least one of the following compounds:(a) a cyclic compound having the formula:(b) a non-cyclic compound having the formula:wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a non-photoactive phenyl, a photoactive phenyl or a C1-C4 alkyl; R3 represents a non-photoactive phenyl; R4 represents a photoactive phenyl; W represents Si or Ge; n represents an integer of value greater than 1;m represents an integer between 0 and 1.