Dicyanostyryl Resist Underlayer Composition for Selective Wet Etch Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resist underlayer films face challenges in achieving resistance to resist solvents and developers while maintaining solubility only in wet etching chemicals, which complicates the semiconductor manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A resist underlayer film-forming composition that excludes alkylated aminoplast crosslinking agents and protonic acid curing catalysts, incorporating a polymer or compound with a dicyanostyryl group, allowing for uncured films that are resistant to solvents and developers yet soluble in wet etching chemicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cured resist underlayer film is formed using alkylated aminoplast crosslinking agent and protonic acid curing catalyst, then the film exhibits excellent resistance to resist solvents and developers, but the film cannot be removed by wet etching chemical liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the crosslinking agent and curing catalyst from the resist underlayer film composition, extracting the curing functionality while retaining the base polymer structure. This allows the film to maintain solvent resistance through the polymer matrix while eliminating the crosslinked network that prevents wet etching removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by selecting specific polymers with hydroxyl or carboxyl groups that provide inherent solvent resistance without requiring crosslinking. The polymer structure and functional groups are optimized to achieve the desired balance of resistance and removability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional cured resist underlayer films are used, then the film provides adequate structural stability, but the removal process causes damage to the processed substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a resist underlayer film that is intentionally designed to be easily removable like a disposable component. By forgoing permanent crosslinking and using a polymer that dissolves in wet etching chemicals, the film serves its temporary purpose of providing structural stability during processing and then can be cleanly removed without damaging the underlying substrate.
3Ease of manufacture
If a resist underlayer film is designed to be soluble in wet etching chemicals, then the film can be easily removed, but the film loses resistance to resist solvents and developers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the polymer structure to have different chemical properties that provide selective resistance. The polymer contains functional groups that resist aqueous alkali solutions and organic solvents used in resist processing, while simultaneously maintaining solubility in the specific wet etching chemical composition, achieving localized chemical resistance where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A resist underlayer film that exhibits removability and preferably solubility only in wet etching reagent solutions, while exhibiting good resistance to resist developers that are resist solvents or aqueous alkali solutions. The composition for forming a resist underlayer film includes a dicyanostyryl group-bearing polymer (P) or dicyanostyryl group-bearing compound (C) and includes solvent, and does not contain a protonic acid curing catalyst and does not contain an alkylated aminoplast crosslinking agent derived from melamine, urea, benzoguanamine, or glycoluril.