EUV Resist Upper-Layer Film Composition for Light Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current compositions for forming EUV or electron beam resist upper-layer films fail to effectively cut off undesirable exposure light, such as UV or DUV light, while maintaining transmission of EUV light or electron beams, and do not provide excellent barrier properties against outgassing, leading to suboptimal resist pattern formation.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising a polymer with specific repeating units and a ketone solvent, where the polymer includes alkyl groups, hydroxyl or carboxyl groups, and aromatic rings, and the ketone solvent contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms in 1 to 13% by mass, ensuring excellent solubility and storage stability, and is used to form a resist upper-layer film that can be developed using an alkaline agent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional composition for forming EUV or electron beam resist upper-layer film is used, then the film can be formed on the substrate, but it fails to effectively cut off undesirable exposure light (UV or DUV light) while maintaining transmission of EUV light or electron beams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the ketone solvent content (1-13% by mass) and polymer molecular weight (800-10,000) to optimize the optical properties of the upper-layer film. This specific parameter range enables the film to selectively block UV/DUV light while transmitting EUV light and electron beams, resolving the contradiction between harmful factor blocking and useful radiation transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of a polymer (with specific repeating units containing aromatic rings, alkyl groups, and hydroxyl or carboxyl groups) combined with a ketone solvent (4-12 carbon atoms). This composite composition creates an upper-layer film with optimized optical and barrier properties that simultaneously achieves light blocking and radiation transmission.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional composition is used, then the resist film can be applied, but it does not provide excellent barrier properties against outgassing, leading to suboptimal resist pattern formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the polymer molecular weight (800-10,000) and ketone solvent content (1-13% by mass) to achieve the desired balance between outgassing barrier properties and developability. These parameter adjustments ensure the upper-layer film forms a effective barrier while maintaining proper resist pattern formation during the development process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the ketone solvent content is increased to improve solubility and storage stability, then the composition becomes more stable, but the ability to block undesirable light and transmit EUV light may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a precise parameter range for ketone solvent content (1-13% by mass) that simultaneously satisfies multiple requirements: adequate solubility for uniform film formation, sufficient storage stability, and optimal optical properties for light blocking and EUV transmission. This controlled parameter range prevents excessive solvent content from compromising light blocking performance while maintaining composition stability.
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 composition effectively blocks undesirable exposure light, improves the resolution of EUV resist patterns, and prevents outgassing, allowing for the formation of high-quality resist patterns with reduced defects and improved storage stability.
Implementation Method 1
the composition effectively blocks undesirable exposure light, improves the resolution of EUV resist patterns
Implementation Method 2
has excellent barrier property for outgassing from the resist
Implementation Method 3
ensuring excellent solubility and storage stability
Data Source
AI summary
This composition for forming an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) or electron-beam upper-layer resist film including (a) a polymer (P) and (b) a solvent, the solvent containing 1 to 13 mass % of a C4-12 ketone compound with respect to the entire solvent, is used in the lithography process of a procedure for manufacturing a semiconductor device. Without needing to be intermixed with a resist, and particularly on the occasion of EUV exposure, the composition for forming an EUV or electron-beam upper-layer resist film blocks undesirable exposure light, e.g., ultraviolet (UV) or deep ultraviolet (DUV) rays, and selectively transmits only the EUV rays, and can be developed using a developing solution after exposure.