Halide Development of Metal EUV Resists for Pattern Fidelity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photolithography processes face challenges in achieving small feature sizes due to the limitations of traditional organic chemically amplified resists in EUV lithography, including low absorption coefficients and pattern collapse, necessitating improved EUV photoresist materials with enhanced absorbance and etch resistance.
Innovation Solution
Development of photopatterned metal-containing EUV resists using halide chemistries for dry development, which includes exposing the resist to EUV radiation and selectively removing unexposed portions with halide-containing development chemistries, such as hydrogen halides, in a plasma-free thermal process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional organic chemically amplified resists are used in EUV lithography, then the process is compatible with existing 193 nm UV lithography workflows, but the resist exhibits low absorption coefficients and pattern collapse due to diffusion of photo-activated chemical species
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resist by incorporating metal halide compounds (such as tin, hafnium, or bismuth halides) into the resist formulation. This compositional change increases the absorption coefficient for EUV radiation while maintaining process compatibility, directly resolving the contradiction between workflow compatibility and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resist material combining organic photoresist components with inorganic metal halide compounds. This composite structure provides both the processability of organic resists and the high EUV absorption of metal halides, while the halide chemistry enables selective removal during development without the diffusion issues of traditional CAR systems
2Strength
If conventional CAR materials are used to provide etch resistance for small features, then etch resistance is improved, but line edge roughness and pattern collapse occur due to diffusion of photo-activated species
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces halide chemistry as an intermediary mechanism between EUV exposure and resist modification. The halide compounds undergo photo-induced decomposition to form volatile products that can be selectively removed during dry development, providing etch resistance through the remaining halide framework while avoiding the uncontrolled diffusion problems of traditional CAR systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the wet chemical development mechanism of traditional CAR systems with a dry development process using halide chemistry. This substitution eliminates the diffusion of liquid developer chemicals that cause line edge roughness, while maintaining selective removal of exposed or unexposed regions through vapor-phase halide reactions
3Manufacturing precision
If EUV lithography is implemented to achieve smaller feature sizes, then resolution is improved, but light loss during patterning and low power output reduce productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the resist system by using metal halide compounds with high EUV absorption coefficients. This allows for thinner resist layers to achieve the same absorption, reducing the amount of material that causes light loss and improving the efficiency of the EUV patterning process, thereby enhancing productivity
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
This approach enhances etch selectivity and prevents line collapse, improving throughput and critical dimension control while maintaining high EUV absorption, thus addressing the limitations of traditional wet development methods.
Implementation Method 1
developing the photopatterned metal-containing EUV resist by selectively removing unexposed portions with halide-containing development chemistries, such as hydrogen halides
Implementation Method 2
exposing the resist to EUV radiation and selectively removing unexposed portions
Data Source
AI summary
Development of resists are useful, for example, to form a patterning mask in the context of high-resolution patterning. Development can be accomplished using a halide-containing chemistry such as a hydrogen halide. A metal-containing resist film may be deposited on a semiconductor substrate using a dry or wet deposition technique. The resist film may be an EUV-sensitive organo-metal oxide or organo-metal-containing thin film resist. After exposure, the photopatterned metal-containing resist is developed using wet or dry development.