Lithography Rinse Solution Surfactant Pattern Collapse Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the lithography process, especially for semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing, the challenge is to prevent pattern collapse and defects while maintaining high resolution, as micronization leads to issues with pattern melting and line width roughness, particularly with high aspect ratio patterns.
Innovation Solution
A rinse solution containing a specific nonionic surfactant, represented by a particular chemical formula, is used to improve melting efficiency, pattern collapse margin, and line width roughness, which is effective for both development and storage stability, especially when combined with other additives like acids, bases, and organic solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pure water with high surface tension is used as a rinse solution, then pattern collapse is reduced, but pattern melting occurs due to micronization of the pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the rinse solution by adding nonionic surfactants and organic solvents to pure water, thereby adjusting the surface tension and other properties to prevent both pattern collapse and pattern melting simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite rinse solution by combining pure water with nonionic surfactants and organic solvents, forming a multi-component system that achieves both pattern collapse prevention and pattern melting prevention
2Reliability
If conventional rinse solutions are used, then pattern collapse margin is improved, but line width roughness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of nonionic surfactants and organic solvents in the rinse solution to achieve a balance between pattern collapse margin and line width roughness, preventing line width roughness deterioration while maintaining good pattern collapse margin
3Reliability
If rinse solutions with additives are used to improve pattern collapse, then storage stability deteriorates due to gel defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the concentration parameters of additives in the rinse solution to prevent gel defect formation during storage, maintaining storage stability while still achieving pattern collapse prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selects specific types of nonionic surfactants and organic solvents with appropriate local chemical properties that provide pattern collapse prevention without causing gel defects during storage
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 solution effectively prevents pattern collapse and defects, enhances line width roughness, and maintains storage stability, particularly when used with KrF excimer laser and EUV exposure, improving the formation of high-resolution resist patterns without gel defects.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure arises between neighboring patterns due to a surface tension of a rinse solution pooled between the neighboring patterns
Implementation Method 2
A problem of pattern melting due to micronization of pattern, however, is shown remarkably in the known rinse solutions proposed conventionally
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a rinse solution for lithography comprising water and a nonionic surfactant represented by the formula (I) (R1 and R2 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group, R5 represents a hydrocarbon group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, in which one or more of a double bond or triple bond are contained, or a phenylene group, and R6 and R7 may be the same as or different from each other and represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group) and a method for forming a resist pattern by rinsing the resist pattern obtained by exposing and developing a photosensitive resist with the rinse solution for lithography described above.