Hypervalent Iodine Resist Composition for EUV Resolution Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resist compositions face challenges in achieving high sensitivity and resolution in photolithography, particularly in electron beam (EB) and EUV lithography, due to issues such as acid diffusion, shot noise, and material limitations in EUV lithography, leading to pattern defects and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition comprising a hypervalent iodine compound, a carboxy group-containing compound, and a solvent, which enhances sensitivity and resolution through controlled light reactivity and improved patterning capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If acid diffusion is minimized by lowering PEB temperature or shortening PEB time, then resolution is improved, but sensitivity and contrast are markedly lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an acid diffusion control agent as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of resolution and sensitivity. This agent selectively controls acid diffusion in the resist composition, allowing sufficient diffusion for sensitivity enhancement while preventing excessive diffusion that would degrade resolution, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resist by incorporating specific acid diffusion control agents with controlled molecular weights and functional groups. This parameter change enables the system to achieve both high sensitivity and high resolution by optimizing the acid diffusion characteristics without requiring extreme PEB conditions.
2Reliability
If chemically amplified resist composition is used to enhance sensitivity and contrast, then sensitivity and contrast are improved, but acid diffusion causes image blur
Solution Approach 1:
The acid diffusion control agent acts as a mediator that works synergistically with the chemically amplified resist composition. It allows the benefits of chemical amplification (enhanced sensitivity and contrast) to be realized while simultaneously suppressing the harmful acid diffusion that causes image blur, thus resolving the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resist composition that integrates multiple functional components: the chemically amplified resist base, acid diffusion control agents, and other additives. This composite material combines the high sensitivity and contrast of chemically amplified resists with the acid diffusion control capabilities of the added agents, resolving the technical contradiction.
3Manufacturing precision
If EUV exposure is used to achieve finer patterning, then resolution is improved, but shot noise variation affects critical dimension uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the resist composition parameters to include materials with optimized absorption coefficients and photochemical properties for EUV wavelengths. These parameter changes enable the resist to respond more uniformly to the stochastic nature of EUV photons, reducing critical dimension variation while maintaining fine patterning capability.
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 achieves high sensitivity and resolution, enabling the formation of even finer patterns with improved precision and versatility in both positive and negative patterning processes.
Implementation Method 1
The energy of EUV is much higher than that of an ArF excimer laser beam, and the number of photons in EUV exposure is 1/14 of that of ArF exposure
Implementation Method 2
PMMA is a positive-type resist material whose solubility in an organic solvent developer increases due to decreased molecular weight caused by scission of the main chain by EUV irradiation
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition including a hypervalent iodine compound represented by formula (1), a carboxy group-containing compound, and a solvent. In formula (1), “n” represents an integer of 0 to 4 when “m” is 0, an integer of 0 to 6 when “m” is 1, and an integer of 0 to 8 when “m” is 2; R1, R2, and R3 represent a halogen atom or a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R4 represents a halogen atom or a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms; R5 represents a carbonyl group or a hydrocarbylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atom; and I and R5 are bonded to adjacent carbon atoms of aromatic ring. This can provide: a resist composition that exhibits excellent sensitivity and resolution in photolithography using a high-energy beam, particularly in electron beam (EB) lithography and EUV lithography; and a patterning process using resist composition.