EUV Lithography Stack Metallic Intermediary Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
EUV lithography faces challenges in achieving high throughput and reducing manufacturing costs due to the higher exposure dose required compared to DUV lithography, which increases processing time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A lithography stack is introduced, comprising layers of organic material, dielectric material, metallic material, and EUV photoresist, which enhances the generation of energetic electrons during EUV exposure, allowing for a reduction in the EUV radiation dose needed to pattern the photoresist effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If EUV lithography is used to achieve high resolution patterning with fewer masks, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but exposure dose requirement increases leading to lower throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a metallic layer as an intermediary between the EUV photoresist and the underlying structure. This metallic layer acts as a mediator that enhances the generation of energetic electrons during EUV exposure, which then transfer energy to the photoresist, enabling effective patterning at reduced EUV doses and thereby improving throughput while maintaining the simplicity of single-mask EUV lithography
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the lithography stack by incorporating a metallic layer with specific electron-generating properties. This parameter change in the stack composition modifies the energy transfer mechanism during EUV exposure, allowing lower exposure doses to achieve the same patterning effect, thus resolving the throughput limitation without increasing mask complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If higher EUV exposure dose is used to ensure effective patterning, then patterning quality is maintained, but processing time increases reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The metallic layer serves as an intermediary that efficiently converts EUV photon energy into energetic electrons, which then act as a secondary radiation source to expose the photoresist. This two-stage energy conversion process maintains patterning quality by ensuring sufficient energy delivery to the photoresist while reducing the required primary EUV dose and exposure time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the direct EUV photon-to-photoresist energy transfer mechanism with an indirect electron-mediated energy transfer mechanism. The metallic layer generates energetic electrons that then interact with the photoresist, replacing the less efficient direct photon absorption process and enabling faster exposure times while maintaining patterning precision
3Productivity
If higher EUV photon intensity is applied to increase throughput, then exposure speed improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy conversion efficiency parameter of the lithography stack by adding the metallic layer. This parameter change enables the system to achieve the same effective photoresist exposure at lower EUV photon intensity, thereby maintaining or improving exposure speed while reducing the operational cost associated with high-power EUV sources and lowering overall manufacturing costs
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 proposed lithography stack enables a significant reduction in EUV photon intensity dose, improving exposure efficiency and potentially increasing throughput while reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the metallic layer enhances the generation of energetic electrons during EUV exposure
Data Source
AI summary
An example lithography stack includes a first layer including an organic material, a second layer disposed over the first layer, where the second layer includes a dielectric material. The lithography stack includes a third layer disposed over the second layer, where the third layer includes a metallic material. The lithography stack includes a fourth layer disposed over the third layer, where the fourth layer includes an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist.