Resist Composition Acid Diffusion Control for EUV Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current resist compositions face challenges in forming fine patterns with high sensitivity and reduced roughness, especially when exposed to extreme ultraviolet rays (EUV) or electron beams, due to limitations in lithography characteristics such as sensitivity and roughness.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition that generates an acid upon exposure to light, featuring a resin component with acid-solubility changes and an acid diffusion control agent containing a photodecomposable base, which controls acid diffusion and enhances sensitivity and pattern uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a photoreactive quencher with diphenylsulfonium or triphenylsulfonium skeleton is used, then lithography characteristics are improved, but sensitivity and roughness require further improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the photoreactive quencher by introducing specific substituents (fluorine atoms, fluorinated alkyl groups, hydrocarbon groups) at defined positions (ortho-position or meta-position) to optimize lithography characteristics, sensitivity, and roughness simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resist composition containing the photoreactive quencher with specific structural features combined with other resist components, achieving improved lithography characteristics while maintaining sensitivity and reducing roughness
2Length of moving object
If the number of photons for exposure is reduced (EUV or EB), then pattern miniaturization is achieved, but sensitivity of the resist composition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters of the photoreactive quencher by introducing electron-withdrawing groups and specific substituents to enhance the resist composition's sensitivity to EUV and EB exposure, enabling effective patterning with reduced photon counts
Solution Approach 2:
The photoreactive quencher acts as an intermediary substance that mediates the interaction between low-photon-count exposure (EUV/EB) and the resist material, converting the limited photon energy into effective chemical changes for pattern formation
3Length of moving object
If pattern size is reduced to several tens of nanometers, then fine pattern formation is achieved, but critical dimension uniformity and roughness control become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific local structural features (fluorine atoms at ortho-position or meta-position, fluorinated alkyl groups) in the photoreactive quencher molecule to locally control acid diffusion and reaction characteristics, achieving uniform critical dimensions and reduced roughness in fine patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes molecular parameters of the photoreactive quencher including substituent types, their positions, and quantities to control the chemical reactions at the nanoscale, ensuring uniform pattern formation with reduced roughness
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 resist composition achieves high sensitivity and reduced roughness, enabling the formation of fine patterns with improved critical dimension uniformity and enhanced lithography characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
an acid diffusion control agent component (D) which controls an acid generated upon exposure to light, in which the acid diffusion control agent component (D) contains a photodecomposable base (D0)
Implementation Method 2
a resin component (A1) whose solubility in a developing solution is changed under action of an acid
Implementation Method 3
an acid diffusion control agent component (D) which controls an acid generated upon exposure to light
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition containing a resin component (A1) and a photodecomposable base (D0) represented by General Formula (d0) that generates a carboxylic acid having a pKa of 0.50 or more as a generated acid. In the formula, Rm represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxy group, X0 represents a bromine atom or an iodine atom, Yd0 represents a divalent linking group or a single bond, Rb1 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group, p01 represents an integer in a range of 1 to 5, and Rb2 and Rb3 are hydrocarbon groups, provided that at least one Rb1 is bonded to an ortho-position or a meta-position of a benzene ring, and the number of all fluorine atoms contained in —F and/or —CFRx1Rx2 bonded to an aromatic ring bonded to the sulfur atom in the formula is 3 or more, and Rx1 and Rx2 represent a fluorine atom or a hydrogen atom