Photoresist Pattern Shrinking Composition for Semiconductor Fabrication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for shrinking photoresist patterns in semiconductor fabrication are complex, time-consuming, and prone to pattern warping or residue defects, which hinder the achievement of finer pattern sizes required for advanced semiconductor integration.
Innovation Solution
A composition and method using a pattern-shrinking material, such as alcohols or their derivatives, solvents, and surfactants, applied through dispensing and puddling followed by spin drying, allowing for precise control of pattern shrinkage without the need for additional baking or complex cleaning processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the resist flow process is used to shrink the photoresist pattern, then finer pattern resolution can be achieved, but the pattern profile may warp or collapse and overflow phenomenon occurs due to excessive thermal flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the photoresist system by introducing a specific developer solution containing organic solvents (butyl acetate, ethyl lactate) and surfactants (Triton X-100, Brij 35) to control the development process. This chemical parameter adjustment enables precise pattern shrinkage while maintaining profile integrity, resolving the contradiction between achieving fine resolution and preventing pattern warping/collapse.
2Manufacturing precision
If the RELACS process is used to form fine patterns, then pattern size can be reduced uniformly, but development residue such as spots or scum remains on the pattern causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the developer solution by incorporating specific organic solvents and surfactants in optimized concentrations. This modification alters the development kinetics to achieve complete residue removal while maintaining uniform pattern shrinkage, eliminating the harmful development residue effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants (Triton X-100, Brij 35) as intermediary substances in the developer solution. These surfactants act as mediators that facilitate uniform solvent penetration and polymer dissolution, enabling complete residue removal while preserving pattern integrity during the shrinkage process.
3Temperature
If conventional oven temperature control methods are used to manage photoresist flow, then some temperature uniformity can be achieved, but the problem of pattern overflow and warping cannot be fully solved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal field (mechanical heating system) with a chemical field approach. Instead of relying on oven temperature control to manage photoresist flow, the invention uses chemically active developer solutions that control pattern shrinkage through chemical dissolution kinetics, thereby achieving precise shape control without the limitations of thermal 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 approach simplifies the pattern-shrinking process, reduces fabrication time and costs, and enables precise control of pattern size, achieving shrinkage from 50 nm to less than 5 nm with improved pattern integrity and reduced defects.
Implementation Method 1
a pattern-shrinking material for shrinking a photoresist pattern
Implementation Method 2
the process of forming a pattern using a negative tone developing solution facilitates pattern formation and removes the unexposed portion
Implementation Method 3
selectively dissolving and removing the exposed region of a photoresist film using an alkaline developing solution
Implementation Method 4
applied through dispensing and puddling followed by spin drying
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a composition for shrinking a photoresist pattern, which is capable of shrinking a photoresist pattern using a photoresist during the fabrication of a semiconductor, and to a method of shrinking a pattern using the composition, whereby a pattern to be formed can be shrunken in a photoresist-patterning process, thus remarkably decreasing the number of steps of a semiconductor fabrication process and reducing the fabrication time and costs.