Polyether Functionalized Polynorbornenes for Low-Cure Microelectronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current materials like polyimide, polybenzoxazole, and benzocyclobutane compositions used in microelectronics and optoelectronics require high curing temperatures and special handling conditions, making them unsuitable for applications such as redistribution and interlayer dielectric layers, and direct adhesive bonding, especially for transparent cover over image sensing arrays, due to their thermal stability and mechanical strength requirements.
Innovation Solution
Development of norbornene-type polymers with polyether functionalization that are self-imageable, offering thermal stability and mechanical strength equivalent to existing materials, while allowing curing at temperatures of 200°C or lower, and are tailorable for specific properties like stress, modulus, dielectric constant, and water vapor permeability, with the ability to form positive or negative tone images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polyimide, polybenzoxazole, or benzocyclobutane compositions are used to achieve thermal stability and mechanical strength, then the material exhibits good thermal stability and mechanical strength, but the material requires high curing temperatures (excess of 250°C, up to 400°C) and special handling conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the polymer by using norbornene-based monomers with specific side chain configurations, enabling the material to achieve high thermal stability at lower curing temperatures (200°C or lower) compared to conventional materials that require 250-400°C
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material design by combining norbornene backbone structure with functional side chains (such as polyether side chains), creating a material that integrates both thermal stability and low-cure characteristics that neither component alone would provide
2Reliability
If polyimide, polybenzoxazole, or benzocyclobutane compositions are used to achieve thermal stability and mechanical strength, then the material exhibits good thermal stability and mechanical strength, but the material requires special handling conditions to remove by-products and exclude oxygen or water vapor during curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic curing mechanism of conventional materials that produce by-products requiring removal. The norbornene-based polymer undergoes addition polymerization without producing small molecule by-products, eliminating the need for special handling to remove curing by-products
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a photosensitizer as an intermediary substance that enables low-temperature curing by absorbing UV energy and transferring it to the norbornene monomers, facilitating ring-opening polymerization at 200°C or lower without requiring oxygen exclusion or special atmospheric conditions
3Reliability
If conventional polymer materials are used for microelectronic applications, then the materials provide thermal stability and mechanical strength, but the number of processing steps is increased due to lack of self-imageability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the structural polymer material function with the photoresist function into a single self-imageable composition. The norbornene-based polymer contains both the structural backbone for thermal stability and photosensitive groups that enable direct patterning, combining multiple functions into one material system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal material that performs multiple functions: structural support, thermal stability, and direct lithographic patterning. The self-imageable norbornene polymer can be cured and patterned in a single process flow, eliminating the need for separate photoresist layers and reducing the total number of processing steps
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 norbornene-type polymers provide robust, thermally stable films with low internal stress and high aspect ratio resolution, suitable for various microelectronic and optoelectronic applications, including interlevel dielectrics, redistribution layers, and adhesive bonding, while maintaining oxidative stability and adhesion properties.
Implementation Method 1
self-imageable compositions which can provide positive-tone images, after image-wise exposure of a film formed thereof, followed by development of such images
Implementation Method 2
exhibits thermal stability and mechanical strength equivalent to the known PI, PBO, and BCB compositions, where such a material has a fully formed polymer backbone that allows for curing at temperatures of 200° C. or lower
Implementation Method 3
PNBs having norbornene-type repeating units that are polyether functionalized where such PNBs are resistant to thermo-oxidative chain degradation of said polyether functionalization
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to polynorbornene (PNB) composition embodiments that are useful for forming microelectronic and/or optoelectronic devices and assemblies thereof, and more specifically to compositions encompassing PNBs having norbornene-type repeating units that are polyether functionalized and an additive package containing a phenolic antioxidant and a diaryl amine synergist, and the microelectronic and/or optoelectronic devices made therefrom are resistant to thermo-oxidative chain degradation of said polyether functionalization.