Carboxyl-Containing Lactone Polymers for Resist Composition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resist materials face challenges in forming fine patterns with pitches less than 200 nm due to line edge roughness (LER), which affects the performance of semiconductor devices, and introducing acid labile units to improve sensitivity leads to enlarged LER and surface roughening.
Innovation Solution
Development of carboxyl-containing lactone compounds and polymers that minimize pattern edge roughness through controlled swelling during photolithography, using a resist composition with specific recurring units and a patterning process involving high-energy radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acid labile units are introduced to improve sensitivity, then sensitivity increases, but line edge roughness enlarges
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters by introducing carboxyl-containing lactone units with specific molecular weights and compositions. This structural modification allows the resin to achieve both high sensitivity and reduced line edge roughness by controlling the swelling behavior during development, thereby resolving the contradiction between sensitivity and LER.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite resin compositions combining carboxyl-containing lactone units with other polymer units. This composite approach enables the material to exhibit both high sensitivity (from the acid-labile carboxyl groups) and low LER (from the controlled swelling characteristics of the lactone structure), simultaneously addressing both requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If carboxylic acid units are introduced to reduce line edge roughness, then LER decreases to a certain extent, but surface roughening occurs due to swelling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention precisely controls the parameters of carboxyl-containing lactone units, including their molecular weight, composition ratio, and structural configuration. By optimizing these parameters, the resin achieves reduced LER through controlled swelling while preventing excessive surface roughening, thereby resolving the contradiction between LER reduction and surface integrity.
3Reliability
If many acid labile units are introduced to achieve higher sensitivity and contrast, then sensitivity and contrast improve, but line edge roughness enlarges
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of acid-labile group density by introducing carboxyl-containing lactone units at controlled concentrations. The specific structural parameters of these units (molecular weight, composition ratio) are optimized to provide sufficient acid-labile groups for high sensitivity and contrast while maintaining controlled swelling behavior to minimize LER, thus resolving the contradiction.
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 carboxyl-containing lactone compounds and polymers achieve high resolution and reduced pattern edge roughness, enhancing the precision of micropatterning and maintaining sensitivity while minimizing surface roughening.
Implementation Method 1
minimize pattern edge roughness through controlled swelling during photolithography
Implementation Method 2
exposing the resist coating to high-energy radiation through a photomask
Data Source
AI summary
Carboxyl-containing lactone compounds having formula (1) are novel wherein R1 is H, F, methyl or trifluoromethyl, R2 and R3 are H or monovalent hydrocarbon groups, or R2 and R3 may together form an aliphatic ring, W is CH2, O or S, k1 is an integer of 0 to 4, and k2 is 0 or 1. They are useful as monomers to produce polymers which are transparent to radiation≦500 nm. Radiation-sensitive resist compositions comprising the polymers as base resin exhibit excellent properties including resolution, LER, pattern density dependency and exposure margin.