Ion-Implanted Silicon Surface for Photoresist Adhesion at Sub-40 Nm
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor device sizes decrease, the adhesion between resist materials and underlying materials becomes insufficient, leading to non-uniformity and defects during etch or formation processes, which complicates the production of high-quality devices with reduced critical dimensions.
Innovation Solution
An ion implantation process is performed on the underlying silicon-containing material to reorganize surface bonds, followed by treatment with an adhesion agent like hexamethyldisilazane, which increases hydrophobicity and strengthens adhesion between the resist and underlying materials, ensuring better adherence and patterning accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If device sizes are reduced to achieve smaller critical dimensions, then manufacturing precision and device performance are improved, but adhesion between resist materials and underlying materials deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ion implantation to change the chemical and physical parameters of the underlying material surface. By implanting ions into the silicon-containing layer, the surface composition and structure are modified, creating a surface that provides better adhesion for resist materials while maintaining the required small critical dimensions for advanced device fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The ion-implanted silicon-containing layer acts as an intermediary layer between the substrate and the resist material. This intermediate layer has modified properties that facilitate strong adhesion to both the underlying substrate and the overlying resist, solving the adhesion problem that arises when scaling to smaller device sizes
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional surface treatment is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but adhesion uniformity and film quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical or chemical surface treatment methods with ion implantation. This substitution provides more uniform and reliable adhesion properties across the film surface, ensuring consistent resist adhesion and pattern quality throughout the manufactured devices
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 method enhances the adhesion between the resist and underlying materials, improving the hydrophobicity and uniformity of the films, thereby increasing the reliability and quality of patterned resist layers with critical dimensions below 40 nm, reducing defects such as flaking or breaking.
Implementation Method 1
The post-formation treatment may be or include an ion implantation process. The ion implantation process may be performed with ions of one or more elements from Group III through Group VIII. The ion implantation process may be performed with ions of fluorine or xenon.
Implementation Method 2
The ion implantation treatment breaks Si-OH bonds present in the layer of silicon-containing material.
Implementation Method 3
contacting the treated layer of silicon-containing material with an adhesion agent
Implementation Method 4
A surface of the treated layer of silicon-containing material may be hydrophobic after contacting the treated layer of silicon-containing material with the adhesion agent.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include forming a layer of silicon-containing material on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include performing a post-formation treatment on the layer of silicon-containing material to yield a treated layer of silicon-containing material. The methods may include contacting the treated layer of silicon-containing material with an adhesion agent. The methods may include forming a layer of a resist material on the treated layer of silicon-containing material.