Resin Composition for Low-Temperature Curing and Metal Adhesion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resin compositions for semiconductor applications face challenges in achieving fine patterns with high in-plane uniformity, low temperature curability, and strong adhesion to metal wirings, particularly due to issues with crosslinking agents and additives leading to poor reliability and peeling from metal surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A resin composition comprising a polyimide or polybenzoxazole precursor, an antioxidizing agent, and a crosslinking agent with phenolic hydroxyl groups, along with a naphthoquinonediazide compound, which allows for low-temperature curing and enhanced adhesion to metal wirings by forming a dense film with improved oxidative stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a positive-working photoresist is used for etching to form through holes, then the method can achieve the required patterning, but the process becomes complicated due to requiring additional applying and peeling steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat-resistant resin and photoresist into a single integrated material system. The polyimide or polybenzoxazole resin is modified with photosensitive groups, allowing it to function both as the heat-resistant structural material and as the photoresist for patterning. This eliminates the need for separate photoresist application and peeling steps, reducing process complexity while maintaining patterning precision.
2Reliability
If high temperature baking at around 350°C is used to cure polyimide or polybenzoxazole, then the film achieves superior heat resistance and mechanical properties, but the cured film cannot be used for MRAM or fan-out wafer level package applications requiring low temperature processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of the polyimide or polybenzoxazole resin by introducing photosensitive groups and crosslinking agents that enable curing at lower temperatures (250°C or less). This parameter change in the resin composition allows the film to achieve the required heat resistance and mechanical properties without requiring high temperature baking, making it compatible with MRAM and fan-out wafer level package applications.
3Ease of manufacture
If a non-photosensitive resin composition or negative-working photosensitive resin composition is used, then the composition can provide basic film formation, but fine patterns cannot be formed and poor in-plane uniformity occurs due to large film shrinkage upon curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system combining heat-resistant resin (polyimide or polybenzoxazole) with photosensitive groups and specific crosslinking agents. This composite structure enables positive-working photosensitivity for fine pattern formation while the resin matrix controls shrinkage to maintain in-plane uniformity. The composite material achieves both film formation simplicity and fine pattern capability.
4Manufacturing precision
If additives such as photosensitizer, sensitizer, acid generator and dissolution modifier are included in the photosensitive resin composition, then the composition can form fine patterns, but the adhesion strength to metal wiring decreases due to additive residues remaining in the cured film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for harmful additives by incorporating photosensitive groups directly into the resin structure. The resin itself becomes photosensitive without requiring separate photosensitizers, acid generators, or dissolution modifiers. This extraction of unnecessary additives removes the source of adhesion problems while maintaining fine pattern formation capability through the intrinsic photosensitivity of the modified resin.
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 resin composition achieves a cured film with high extension and adhesion to metal wirings, maintaining uniformity and reliability even after thermal and humidity tests, while allowing for fine pattern formation and low-stress properties.
Implementation Method 1
a ring-closing catalyst (c) comprising a naphthoquinonediazide compound
Implementation Method 2
a coating film of their precursor is thermally dehydrated and ring-closed to obtain a thin film being superior in heat resistance and mechanical properties
Implementation Method 3
a crosslinking agent (d) in a specific amount, wherein the crosslinking agent (d) is a crosslinking agent having a phenolic hydroxyl group in one molecule thereof
Implementation Method 4
an antioxidizing agent (b), and a crosslinking agent (d)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a resin composition including (a) a resin, (b) an antioxidizing agent, and (d) a crosslinking agent, wherein the resin composition is characterized by the following: the resin (a) is formed of one or more kinds of resins selected from among polyimide precursor, polyamide, polyimide, polybenzoxazole, and copolymers thereof; and the crosslinking agent (d) includes a phenolic hydroxyl group in one molecule, and also includes a substituent group having a molecular weight of 40 or more at both ortho positions of the phenolic hydroxyl group. Provided is the resin composition by which obtained is a pattern-cured film that enables fine patterns to be obtained, that exhibits excellent in-plane pattern uniformity while being curable at a low temperature of 250° C. or less, and that retains high extensibility and high adhesion with metal wires even after a reliability evaluation which is an actual-use accelerated test.