Nanoimprint Mold Design for Semiconductor Pattern Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor device fabrication, the conventional nanoimprinting method leaves uncovered regions between shots, leading to damage of underlying patterns during etching and reduced yield due to lack of imprinting material in these areas.

Innovation Solution

A semiconductor device fabrication method where a mold with a predetermined pattern is brought into contact with an imprinting material on a substrate, ensuring that at least portions of adjacent shot regions overlap, with a pattern formation mold design featuring a square shape and L-shaped recessed regions to maintain imprinting material coverage between shots.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the conventional nanoimprinting method is used with shots arranged without overlap, then the productivity is improved by reducing processing time, but the reliability deteriorates due to damage of underlying patterns in uncovered regions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidpattern integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by extending the imprinting material coating to cover the dicing region and monitor pattern formation region before the etching process. This ensures that underlying patterns are protected in advance from plasma damage during subsequent etching steps, while maintaining efficient shot arrangement without overlap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of substance

If the imprinting material is coated only in shot regions, then the loss of substance is reduced by minimizing material usage, but the object-affected harmful factors increase due to plasma damage to underlying patterns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimprinting material consumptionVSAvoidplasma damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively extending the imprinting material coating only to specific regions (dicing region and monitor pattern formation region) that require protection, rather than coating the entire substrate. This localized approach minimizes material consumption while providing targeted protection against plasma damage in critical areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 protects underlying patterns from damage during etching, ensuring operational integrity and increasing yield by maintaining imprinting material coverage between shots.

Implementation Method 1

setting the resin by irradiation with light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotosetting: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

anisotropic etching using an oxygen plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma etching: Plasma

Data Source

PatentUS8282868B2Semiconductor device fabrication method and pattern formation mold

Publication Date: 2012.10.09 KIOXIA CORP

AI summary

According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device fabrication method comprising, bringing a mold having a predetermined pattern into contact with at least a portion of an imprinting material formed on a substrate to be processed, and forming the pattern on the substrate to be processed by sequentially transferring the pattern for each shot, wherein one of a dicing region and a monitor pattern formation region of the substrate to be processed is coated with the imprinting material.