Halide Development Chemistry for Metal EUV Resist Pattern Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photolithography processes face challenges in achieving high-resolution patterning with EUV lithography due to low power output, light loss during patterning, and issues with traditional organic chemically amplified resists, such as low absorption coefficients and pattern collapse in small features.
Innovation Solution
Development of photopatterned metal-containing EUV resists using halide chemistries for dry development, which includes exposing the resist to EUV radiation and selectively removing unexposed portions with a halide-based development chemistry, either through a plasma-free thermal process or remote plasma, to form a resist mask.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional organic chemically amplified resists are used in EUV lithography, then the resist can be processed with conventional chemistry, but the absorption coefficient is low and pattern collapse occurs in small features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resist by incorporating metal halide compounds (such as bismuth, tin, or germanium halides) into the resist formulation. This compositional change increases the absorption coefficient for EUV radiation and modifies the development chemistry requirements, allowing the resist to maintain structural integrity at smaller feature sizes without pattern collapse
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resist material by combining organic photoresist components with inorganic metal halide compounds. This composite structure provides both the photochemical functionality needed for patterning and the enhanced absorption and mechanical properties required for high-resolution EUV lithography, preventing pattern collapse in sub-10nm features
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional wet development is used, then the development process is simple, but etch resistance is insufficient and line collapse occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the development chemistry parameters from conventional wet development to dry development using halide-containing gases (such as HCl, HBr, or HI). This parameter change in the development state provides superior etch resistance and prevents line collapse while maintaining processability, as the dry halide chemistry selectively removes exposed or unexposed resist without compromising the structural integrity of patterned lines
3Manufacturing precision
If EUV lithography is implemented, then shorter wavelength enables smaller features, but light loss during patterning reduces throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite resist materials with metal halide compounds that have high absorption coefficients for EUV radiation. This enables the use of thinner resist films (reducing light loss and improving resolution) while maintaining sufficient pattern definition and etch resistance, thereby improving throughput without sacrificing feature size precision
4Manufacturing precision
If resist thickness is decreased to improve resolution, then smaller features can be patterned, but etch resistance decreases and pattern collapse risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates composite resists containing metal halide compounds that provide enhanced mechanical strength and etch resistance. This allows the resist to be used at reduced thicknesses (improving resolution and reducing light absorption losses) while the metal halide components maintain structural integrity and prevent pattern collapse during the etching process
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
This approach enhances EUV lithography by improving etch resistance, reducing line collapse, and increasing throughput while maintaining critical dimension control and selectivity, thus addressing the limitations of traditional wet development methods.
Implementation Method 1
developing the photopatterned metal-containing EUV resist by selectively removing unexposed portions with a halide-based development chemistry
Implementation Method 2
exposing the resist to EUV radiation
Data Source
AI summary
Development of resists are useful, for example, to form a patterning mask in the context of high-resolution patterning. Development can be accomplished using a halide-containing chemistry such as a hydrogen halide. A metal-containing resist film may be deposited on a semiconductor substrate using a dry or wet deposition technique. The resist film may be an EUV-sensitive organo-metal oxide or organo-metal-containing thin film resist. After exposure, the photopatterned metal-containing resist is developed using wet or dry development.