Dry Development of Metal-Oxide Photo Resists
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current EUV lithography processes using metal-oxide resist layers face limitations due to low absorbance of EUV radiation, leading to high line width roughness (LWR) and poor pattern transfer into the underlying substrate.
Innovation Solution
A dry develop process using a hydrogen source gas is employed to develop metal-oxide resist layers, which incorporates a surface treatment that incorporates fluorine into the unexposed regions, allowing for improved etch selectivity and reduced LWR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wet etching chemistry is used to develop metal-oxide resist layers, then the resist can be developed, but line width roughness increases due to cluster-level interaction with the resist layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wet etching chemistry with a dry plasma-based etching process. This substitution of the development mechanism from liquid-based to plasma-based enables atomic-level removal of resist material, eliminating the cluster-level interaction that causes line width roughness while maintaining ease of manufacture through a standardized plasma process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the development process from wet chemistry to dry plasma. By altering the physical state and mechanism of etching (from liquid chemical reactions to plasma-based atomic removal), the process achieves smooth sidewalls and reduced line width roughness while maintaining manufacturability
2Use of energy by moving object
If metal-oxide resist layers are used to improve EUV radiation absorbance, then absorbance increases, but the resist layer requires thicker material which complicates pattern transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the development process parameters by using plasma-based etching with controlled power, pressure, and gas composition. This enables precise control over the removal of metal-oxide material, allowing thin resist layers to be developed with high precision while maintaining excellent EUV absorbance, thereby simplifying pattern transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional wet development with plasma-based dry etching, which provides superior control over material removal. This substitution enables the use of thinner metal-oxide resist layers that maintain high EUV absorbance while being easily pattern-transferred to the underlying substrate
3Manufacturing precision
If higher doses and longer exposure times are used to compensate for low EUV absorbance, then chemical contrast improves, but process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the resist material composition by using metal-oxide-based resists that inherently have higher EUV absorption coefficients. This material parameter change enables better chemical contrast to be achieved at lower doses and shorter exposure times, directly reducing process time while maintaining manufacturing precision
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 dry develop process with hydrogen source gas effectively reduces line width roughness and enhances pattern transfer quality by selectively removing unexposed regions at the atomic level, avoiding the limitations of wet etching and halogen-based chemistries.
Implementation Method 1
applying a surface treatment to the resist layer, where the surface treatment incorporates fluorine into the unexposed region
Implementation Method 2
developing the resist layer with a dry develop process that includes a source gas including hydrogen, where the developed resist layer has an opening through the resist layer
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate to a method for developing a resist layer that includes tin and oxygen with an exposed region and an unexposed region. In an embodiment, the includes applying a surface treatment to the resist layer, where the surface treatment incorporates fluorine into the unexposed region. In an embodiment, the method further includes developing the resist layer with a dry develop process that includes a source gas including hydrogen, where the developed resist layer has an opening through the resist layer.