Filling Film Material for Void-Free High-Aspect-Ratio Pattern Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in preventing semiconductor substrate pattern collapse during the drying process, especially for high-aspect-ratio patterns, due to surface tension and residual solvent issues.
Innovation Solution
A material comprising a polymer with a specific structural unit, a residual-solvent removal promoter, and an organic solvent, which forms a filling film that effectively inhibits pattern collapse by promoting solvent removal and ensuring void-free film formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filling film is formed to inhibit pattern collapse, then pattern collapse is prevented, but voids may form in the filling film due to residual solvent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight distribution parameters of the polymer by controlling the polydispersity index (PDI) to be 2.0 or less. This parameter change enables the filling film to maintain both structural integrity for collapse prevention and sufficient solvent release capability to avoid void formation. The specific molecular weight distribution allows lower molecular weight components to facilitate solvent escape while higher molecular weight components provide mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite polymer system with controlled molecular weight distribution, combining components with different molecular weights in a single material system. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both the flowability needed for complete pattern filling and the structural strength needed to prevent collapse, while simultaneously enabling solvent removal without void formation.
2Loss of substance
If the filling film is heated to remove residual solvent, then solvent is removed, but the filling film may foam and form voids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by controlling the molecular weight distribution during material synthesis, ensuring the polymer has optimal solvent release characteristics before the heating step. This preliminary structural design allows the filling film to release residual solvent gradually during heating without sudden foaming, thereby preventing void formation while still achieving complete solvent removal.
3Productivity
If the pattern aspect ratio is increased for miniaturization, then integration density is improved, but pattern collapse becomes more likely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a filling film as an intermediary material that temporarily supports high-aspect-ratio patterns during the drying process. This intermediary filling film, with its controlled molecular weight distribution, provides mechanical support to prevent collapse while allowing complete solvent removal, enabling the processing of patterns with aspect ratios of 10 or higher without compromising pattern 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 proposed solution effectively fills high-aspect-ratio patterns without forming voids, thereby preventing substrate pattern collapse and ensuring reliable semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
residual-solvent removal promoter... promotes the removal of residual solvent possessed by the polymer (A) in the filling film
Implementation Method 2
filling film... fills a fine structure pattern having high aspect ratio... without causing voids
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~2(M)
Figure 3(L)~4(X)
AI summary
A material for forming a filling film for inhibiting semiconductor substrate pattern collapse contains: (A) a polymer having a structural unit shown by the following general formula (1); (B) a residual-solvent removal promoter containing a compound shown by the following general formula (2); and (C) an organic solvent. A ratio Mw/Mn of a weight-average molecular weight Mw and a number-average molecular weight Mn of the polymer (A) in terms of polystyrene by a gel permeation chromatography method is 2.50≤Mw/Mn≤9.00. The residual-solvent removal promoter (B) is contained in an amount of 0.1 to 40 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the polymer (A). The material for forming a filling film for inhibiting semiconductor substrate pattern collapse contains no acid generator. This provides: a material for forming a filling film for inhibiting semiconductor substrate pattern collapse, the resulting filling film being capable of filling a fine structure pattern having high aspect ratio without causing voids; and a method for treating a semiconductor substrate to successfully inhibit semiconductor substrate pattern collapse.