Negative-tone Resist Pattern Formation Without Prebaking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithography techniques face challenges in forming high-resolution negative-tone resist patterns with uniform film thickness and high contrast, especially in miniaturized patterns, and are prone to defects due to elution during immersion exposure.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a resist composition with a base component that exhibits increased solubility in an alkali developing solution, a photobase generator, and an acid supply component, applied without prebaking, followed by exposure and baking to neutralize the acid at exposed areas and increase solubility at unexposed areas, allowing for selective dissolution by an alkali developing solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional resist materials are used for negative-tone patterns, then the process can be simplified, but the film thickness uniformity and pattern contrast deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resist composition by incorporating specific base components (acrylic resins with carboxyl groups) and acid generators (photoacid generators or thermal acid generators) to enable chemically amplified resistance. This allows the resist to exhibit different solubility characteristics upon acid treatment, achieving both negative-tone pattern formation and high film thickness uniformity without complex process steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite resist materials combining base components (acrylic resins), photobase generator components, and acid supply components. This composite structure enables the resist to undergo controlled chemical transformations during exposure and development, achieving superior film thickness uniformity and pattern contrast while maintaining process simplicity for negative-tone patterning.
2Manufacturing precision
If immersion exposure is used to improve resolution, then the pattern resolution improves, but elution defects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the resist composition by using base components with specific functional groups (carboxyl groups from acrylic resins) that are resistant to elution during immersion exposure. The inclusion of acid generators and the controlled solubility changes upon acid treatment enable high-resolution patterning while preventing elution defects that plague conventional resist systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If prebaking is performed before exposure, then the film uniformity improves, but the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical stability parameters of the resist composition by incorporating acid-resistant base components and controlled solubility characteristics. This allows the resist film to maintain uniformity without requiring prebaking treatment, as the acid supply component and base component combination provides inherent stability during the exposure process, thereby eliminating the time-consuming prebaking step while preserving film uniformity.
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 method enables the formation of high-resolution negative-tone resist patterns with improved uniformity and reduced elution, enhancing the precision and reliability of pattern formation in semiconductor and display device manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a photobase generator component that generates base upon exposure
Implementation Method 2
a base component that exhibits increased solubility in an alkali developing solution under the action of acid
Implementation Method 3
the solubility of the base component in an alkali developing solution is increased by the action of the acid derived from the acid supply component
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a resist pattern, including: step (1) in which a resist composition including a base component, a photobase generator component and an acid supply component is applied to a substrate to form a resist film; step (2) in which the resist film is subjected to exposure without being subjected to prebaking; step (3) in which baking is conducted after step (2), such that, at an exposed portion of the resist film, the base generated from the photobase generator component upon the exposure and an acid derived from the acid supply component are neutralized, and at an unexposed portion of the resist film, the solubility of the base component in an alkali developing solution is increased by the action of the acid derived from the acid supply component; and step (4) in which the resist film is subjected to an alkali development, thereby forming a negative-tone resist pattern.