Hydrophobizing Resist Patterns to Prevent Collapse
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of semiconductor resist patterns and increased pattern height lead to pattern collapse during drying treatment due to the interaction between the rinse solution and the resist pattern, particularly due to the surface tension of water and contact angle issues.
Innovation Solution
A developing treatment method involving the supply of a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent, such as TMSDMA with hydrofluoroether, onto the resist pattern to reduce surface tension and prevent pattern collapse by increasing the contact angle with the rinse solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the height of the resist pattern is increased to enable etching of miniaturized patterns, then the etching capability is improved, but the pattern collapse occurs during drying treatment due to surface tension of rinse solution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a treatment solution containing a surfactant to the resist pattern before the drying treatment. This preliminary action modifies the surface properties of the rinse solution by reducing its surface tension, thereby preventing pattern collapse during the subsequent drying process while allowing the use of high-aspect-ratio resist patterns for miniaturized semiconductor devices
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the rinse solution by introducing a surfactant that reduces surface tension. This parameter change allows the rinse solution to wet the resist pattern more effectively and reduces the capillary forces that cause pattern collapse during drying, enabling the use of taller, more miniaturized patterns
2Reliability
If a treatment solution containing organic solvent with fluorine is supplied to prevent pattern collapse, then the pattern collapse is prevented, but the complexity of the treatment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a surfactant as an intermediary substance that mediates between the rinse solution and the resist pattern. The surfactant adsorbs at the interface, reducing surface tension and preventing pattern collapse without requiring complex fluorinated organic solvents, thereby simplifying the treatment process while maintaining effectiveness
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 method effectively prevents pattern collapse by stabilizing the resist pattern and allowing for efficient removal of the rinse solution without causing structural damage, even with highly miniaturized and tall resist patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a problem of a so-called 'pattern collapse' arises due to generation of an attraction force between patterns by the surface tension of the rinse solution
Implementation Method 2
the contact angle of the pure water with respect to the resist pattern during the drying treatment
Implementation Method 3
a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent hydrophobizing a resist pattern with hydrofluoroether
Data Source
AI summary
A developing treatment method includes: a treatment solution supplying step of supplying a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent hydrophobizing a resist pattern with hydrofluoroether onto a substrate on which a rinse solution has been supplied after development of the resist pattern; a hydrophobic treatment stabilizing step of stabilizing a hydrophobic treatment of the resist pattern with the supply of the treatment solution stopped and rotation of the substrate almost stopped; and a treatment solution removing step of removing the treatment solution from a top of the substrate on which the treatment solution has been supplied. The hydrophobizing agent is trimethylsilyldimethyl-amine.