Nitrogenous Silyl Polymer Resist Underlayer Film for Lithography
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current resist underlayer film compositions for semiconductor device lithography lack effective dry etching rates and intermixing prevention with photoresists, especially when used in high-aspect-ratio structures and dual damascene processes, where they fail to maintain pattern integrity and film thickness during processing.
Innovation Solution
A resist underlayer film composition containing a polymer with a nitrogen-containing heterocycle structure and a silyl group as a substituent, which enhances dry etching resistance and rate, using halogen-containing gases for etching, and oxygen-based gases for organic underlayer film processing, ensuring higher etching efficiency and preventing intermixing with photoresists.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional resist underlayer film compositions are used, then the process is simple and easy to manufacture, but the dry etching rate is insufficient and pattern integrity cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining polymer compounds containing nitrogenous heterocyclic structures (such as triazine rings) with specific functional groups. This composite approach enables the underlayer film to simultaneously achieve high dry etching rates and adequate adhesion, resolving the contradiction between etching performance and film stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies chemical parameters by introducing nitrogenous heterocyclic structures with specific functional groups into the polymer composition. This parameter change in molecular structure dramatically improves dry etching rate while maintaining film integrity, addressing the contradiction between etching efficiency and composition simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the photoresist film thickness is reduced to maintain pattern resolution, then the pattern precision is improved, but the film thickness becomes insufficient for maintaining protective function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the underlayer film by incorporating nitrogenous heterocyclic structures, which significantly enhances dry etching rate. This allows the photoresist layer to be made thinner for better resolution while the strengthened underlayer compensates for the reduced protective thickness, maintaining overall protective function.
3Ease of manufacture
If the underlayer film composition is simplified for ease of manufacture, then the manufacturing process is easier, but intermixing with photoresist occurs during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific chemical parameters by incorporating nitrogenous heterocyclic structures with functional groups that provide both adequate adhesion and resistance to intermixing. This targeted parameter change in molecular structure prevents composition instability at the resist-underlayer interface while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing procedures.
4Ease of operation
If conventional underlayer compositions are used in high-aspect-ratio structures, then the process is straightforward, but pattern collapse occurs during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the underlayer film by incorporating nitrogenous heterocyclic structures that enhance dry etching rate and film stability. This parameter change enables reliable pattern formation in high-aspect-ratio structures by preventing pattern collapse during processing, while maintaining straightforward processing procedures.
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 composition achieves higher dry etching rates and resistance, preventing pattern collapse and maintaining film thickness, even with thin photoresist films, while ensuring effective processing of semiconductor substrates with high-aspect-ratio features.
Implementation Method 1
The composition achieves higher dry etching rates and resistance, preventing pattern collapse and maintaining film thickness
Implementation Method 2
ensuring higher etching efficiency and preventing intermixing with photoresists
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a resist underlayer film for lithography causing no intermixing with a photoresist and having a dry etching rate higher than that of the photoresist, and a resist underlayer film forming composition for forming the underlayer film. A resist underlayer firm forming composition for lithography comprising: a polymer containing a partial structure of Formula (1): where X1 is a group of Formula (2), Formula (3), Formula (4) or Formula (4-1): and a solvent. The polymer may contain, besides the partial structure of Formula (1), a partial structure of Formula (5): (R1a(R3)bSi(O-)4-(a+b) Formula (5) and/or a partial structure of Formula (6): [(R4Si(O-)3-c]2Y Formula (6).