Cyclic Olefin Resin for Resist Underlayer Film Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current materials for resist underlayer films in semiconductor manufacturing fail to achieve high flatness, uniform film thickness, and low volatile component generation, especially on substrates with complex uneven structures, leading to issues in pattern refinement and accurate pattern formation during lithography, particularly with EUV exposure.
Innovation Solution
A resin material comprising a cyclic olefin polymer with specific rheological properties, including a temperature range at the intersection of storage and loss modulus curves, is used to form a resist underlayer film that exhibits high surface accuracy and reduced volatile component generation, ensuring uniform film thickness and excellent embedding properties on complex substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional materials for resist underlayer films are used, then the film can be formed on substrates, but the flatness is insufficient and film thickness is non-uniform, especially on substrates with complex uneven structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for the resin material including glass transition temperature (40-200°C), storage modulus (G') of 10^7-10^9 Pa, and loss modulus (G'') of 10^6-10^8 Pa. By controlling these physical parameters, the resin achieves optimal balance between embedding complex uneven structures and forming flat surfaces, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite resin materials comprising cyclic olefin polymers combined with specific additives and controlled molecular weight distributions. This composite approach enables the material to simultaneously exhibit good embedding properties for complex substrates and produce uniform, flat films, addressing both requirements
2Manufacturing precision
If the film thickness of resist layer is decreased to avoid pattern collapse, then pattern refinement is improved, but the resist layer is more strongly affected by underlayer film flatness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a resist underlayer film with controlled flatness and uniform thickness as a preliminary layer before forming the resist layer. This underlayer serves as a prepared foundation that ensures subsequent resist layer achieves high flatness even when thin, enabling pattern refinement while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the glass transition temperature and viscoelastic parameters of the underlayer film material, the patent creates a film that provides optimal mechanical support and flatness to the thin resist layer, decoupling the thinness benefit from the flatness requirement
3Object-generated harmful factors
If materials that do not generate volatile components are used, then outgas is reduced, but such materials are unlikely to be realized in related art
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges including glass transition temperature (40-200°C) and viscoelastic moduli that are optimized to achieve both low volatile component generation and high flatness. These parameter controls enable the resin to maintain film integrity without excessive outgas while still providing the necessary embedding and planarization properties
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 resin material enables the formation of resist underlayer films with sufficient optical characteristics, etching resistance, and excellent flatness, even on substrates with complex structures, thereby improving pattern refinement and reducing defects in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature at an intersection between a storage modulus (G') curve and a loss modulus (G'') curve in a solid viscoelasticity of the resin material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a resin material for forming an underlayer film which is used to form a resist underlayer film used in a multi-layer resist process, the resin material including a cyclic olefin polymer (I), in which a temperature at an intersection between a storage modulus (G′) curve and a loss modulus (G″) curve in a solid viscoelasticity of the resin material for forming an underlayer film which is as measured under conditions of a measurement temperature range of 30° C. to 300° C., a heating rate of 3° C./min, and a frequency of 1 Hz in a nitrogen atmosphere in a shear mode using a rheometer is higher than or equal to 40° C. and lower than or equal to 200°.