Radiation-Sensitive Resin Composition for Liquid Immersion Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation-sensitive resin compositions for liquid immersion lithography lack stability in immersion media and fail to maintain high resolution and pattern quality, particularly in liquid immersion lithography, where they are prone to elution and lens contamination.
Innovation Solution
A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising a polymer with a specific repeating unit derived from a novel compound, which includes an acid-dissociable group and a counter ion, providing high transparency, resolution, and resistance to liquid media, while maintaining storage stability through specific synthesis and polymerization methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional radiation-sensitive resin compositions are used in liquid immersion lithography, then the process can be performed, but the composition lacks stability in immersion media and exhibits elution and lens contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of the resin composition by introducing specific functional groups and counterions that change the chemical parameters of the material, making it resistant to elution in liquid immersion media while maintaining lithographic performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite resin system combining multiple components with specific functions: the resin component provides structural stability, the acid generator enables chemically amplified resolution, and the counterion prevents elution, collectively solving the stability and contamination problem
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional resin compositions are used, then basic lithography can be performed, but resolution and pattern quality are insufficient for advanced microfabrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes chemical parameters of the resin composition, including the introduction of specific acid-dissociable groups and counterions, to simultaneously achieve high resolution, narrow line edge roughness, and storage stability
Solution Approach 2:
The counterion acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the acid generator and the external environment, enabling high resolution through chemical amplification while preventing degradation during storage and in liquid immersion conditions
3Manufacturing precision
If shorter wavelength radiation is used to improve resolution, then manufacturing precision increases, but the complexity of the lithography system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resin composition is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating both the acid generator and the resin component in a single formulation, eliminating the need for separate materials and simplifying the lithography process while achieving high resolution with shorter wavelengths
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 improved resolution, depth of focus, and line edge roughness, along with enhanced stability and resistance to liquid immersion, preventing elution and lens contamination, thus supporting advanced microfabrication requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a number of chemically-amplified radiation-sensitive compositions utilizing a chemical amplification effect between a component having an acid-dissociable functional group and an acid generator which is a component generating an acid upon irradiation
Data Source
AI summary
A radiation-sensitive resin composition which has high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and, in particular, exhibiting high resolution performance, excellent DOF and LER, and high resistance to a liquid medium used in liquid immersion lithography is provided. Also provided are a polymer which can be used in the composition, a novel compound useful for synthesizing the polymer, and a method of producing the composition. A radiation-sensitive resin composition having an excellent resistance to a liquid medium can be obtained by using the novel compound shown by the following formula (1),wherein R1 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, R2, R3 and R4 individually represent a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, n is an integer from 0 to 3, A represents a methylene group, a linear or branched alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or an arylene group, and X− represents a counter ion of S+.