Inorganic Radiation Patterning Coatings for Low Line-Width Roughness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor and electronic device patterning methods face challenges in achieving high-resolution, small feature sizes and reduced line-width roughness, often requiring multiple processing steps and intermediate layers, which can be inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous inorganic patterning precursor solutions comprising metal suboxide cations, polyatomic inorganic anions, and ligands with peroxide groups, stabilized by a molar concentration ratio of ligands to metal suboxide cations of at least about 2, allowing for direct patterning with high resolution and reduced line-width roughness through radiation exposure and development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional organic resists and multiple processing steps are used for patterning, then device integration is achieved, but manufacturing precision and line-width roughness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the organic resist layer from the patterning process by using inorganic materials that can be directly patterned through radiation exposure. This removes the need for separate resist deposition, exposure, and removal steps, directly reducing line-width roughness while simplifying the overall process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of the organic resist and the inorganic patterned layer into a single inorganic material system. The inorganic material serves both as the radiation-sensitive patterning layer and as the functional device layer, merging multiple processing steps into one integrated process that improves manufacturing precision
2Productivity
If intermediate layers are used for patterning, then device structure is formed, but productivity and processing efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the intermediate organic resist layer from the device structure. By using inorganic materials that can be directly patterned, the process eliminates the need for intermediate layers that would otherwise require deposition and removal, directly improving productivity and processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The inorganic material system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the radiation-sensitive patterning layer, the etch mask, and the functional device layer. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate intermediate layers, simplifying the device structure while improving processing efficiency
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
Enables high-resolution patterning with reduced line-width roughness and simplified processing by forming stable inorganic patterns that can be directly incorporated into devices, eliminating the need for intermediate layers and reducing processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
The coating material can comprise metal cations, polyatomic anions, and ligands comprising peroxide groups... exposure to the radiation converts the irradiated coating material into a condensed material
Implementation Method 2
exposure to the radiation converts the irradiated coating material into a condensed material that is resistant to removal with a developer composition
Data Source
AI summary
Stabilized precursor solutions can be used to form radiation inorganic coating materials. The precursor solutions generally comprise metal suboxide cations, peroxide-based ligands and polyatomic anions. Design of the precursor solutions can be performed to achieve a high level of stability of the precursor solutions. The resulting coating materials can be designed for patterning with a selected radiation, such as ultraviolet light, x-ray radiation or electron beam radiation. The radiation patterned coating material can have a high contrast with respect to material properties, such that development of a latent image can be successful to form lines with very low line-width roughness and adjacent structures with a very small pitch.