Fluorine-Containing Polymer for Low-Temperature Resist Film Decomposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluorine-containing polymers used in photolithography processes require high energy for thermal decomposition, which is inefficient and potentially harmful, while maintaining the necessary properties of water repellency and photosensitivity.
Innovation Solution
A fluorine-containing polymer with a chlorodifluoro group bonded at a specific position, allowing for lower temperature thermal decomposition without compromising water repellency and photosensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluorine-containing polymer is used in photolithography processes, then water repellency and photosensitivity are achieved, but high energy is required for thermal decomposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the fluorine-containing polymer by introducing a difluorocyclobutylene ring structure. This structural modification alters the thermal decomposition characteristics, enabling decomposition at lower temperatures (below 200°C) while preserving the essential properties of water repellency and photosensitivity that are critical for photolithography applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite molecular structure combining fluorinated chains with difluorocyclobutylene rings. This composite structure integrates the beneficial properties of fluorine (water repellency, low refractive index) with the unique thermal decomposition characteristics of the cyclobutylene ring, achieving both functional performance and easier decomposability.
2Reliability
If high energy thermal decomposition is used, then complete decomposition is achieved, but energy consumption increases and environmental harm potential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the thermal decomposition parameters by designing a polymer with a difluorocyclobutylene ring structure that decomposes at lower temperatures (below 200°C). This parameter change maintains decomposition effectiveness while significantly reducing energy consumption and minimizing the risk of harmful byproducts associated with high-temperature processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the typically stable and difficult-to-decompose nature of fluorine-containing polymers into a benefit by introducing the cyclobutylene ring structure. This structure creates a controlled decomposition pathway that activates at low temperatures, transforming the environmental persistence issue into an advantage for sustainable waste treatment.
3Illumination intensity
If fluorine substitution ratio is increased to achieve transparency, then optical properties improve, but combustibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating fluorine atoms in specific regions (difluorocyclobutylene rings and fluorinated chains) rather than uniform distribution. This localized fluorine placement maintains UV transparency where needed while creating specific decomposition sites that enable low-temperature breakdown, balancing optical performance with decomposability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the polymer structure into distinct functional units: difluorocyclobutylene rings for controlled decomposition, fluorinated chains for water repellency and optical properties. This segmentation allows each segment to perform its specific function optimally, with the cyclobutylene segments providing low-temperature decomposition pathways while fluorinated segments maintain optical characteristics.
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 polymer can be decomposed at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and enabling simpler disposal methods such as precipitation or adsorption, thus contributing to environmental sustainability in semiconductor processes.
Implementation Method 1
The fluorine-containing polymer can be decomposed at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and enabling simpler disposal methods such as precipitation or adsorption
Implementation Method 2
Fluorine-containing polymers have continued to be used and developed across a wide range of application fields, primarily in the field of advanced materials, due to the characteristics of fluorine, such as water repellency
Implementation Method 3
enabling simpler disposal methods such as precipitation or adsorption
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fluorine-containing polymer that has water repellency and photosensitivity equivalent to those of conventional fluorine-containing polymers but can be decomposed at a lower temperature. A fluorine-containing polymer of the present disclosure contains a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1) or (1)', wherein, in formula (1), R1 is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or a C1-C10 linear or C3-C10 branched alkyl group, some or all of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbon atoms in the alkyl group being optionally replaced by fluorine atoms; in formula (1), R2 is a single bond, an alkylene group optionally having a linear, branched, or cyclic structure, an aromatic ring, an ester, a carbonyl, an ether, an amide, an amine, or a composite substituent thereof, a part of which is optionally fluorinated and/or chlorinated; in formula (1)', R1a is a C1-C10 linear or C3-C10 branched alkyl group, some or all of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbon atoms in the alkyl group being optionally replaced by fluorine atoms and/or chlorine atoms; in formula (1)', R2a is an alkylene group optionally having a linear, branched, or cyclic structure, an aromatic ring, an ester, a carbonyl, an ether, an amide, an amine, or a composite substituent thereof, a part of which is optionally fluorinated and/or chlorinated; in formula (1)', R2b is an alkylene group optionally having a linear, branched, or cyclic structure, an aromatic ring, an ester, a carbonyl, an ether, an amide, an amine, or a composite substituent thereof, a part of which is optionally fluorinated and/or chlorinated; in formulae (1) and (1)', X is a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an oxycarbonyl group, an oxysulfonyl group, an oxycarboxy group, or a hydrogen atom; and in formulae (1) and (1)', n is a natural number of 1 to 3.