Resist Composition with Carboxylic Acid Ester Protecting Groups
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resist compositions face challenges in achieving both high sensitivity and good lithography characteristics, particularly in forming fine patterns of several tens of nanometers, as increasing the reactivity of the polymer compound's protecting group leads to deteriorated physical properties and reduced lithography performance.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition that generates acid upon exposure, featuring a resin component with a constitutional unit derived from a compound represented by General Formula (a01-1), which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution, allowing for increased sensitivity and improved lithography characteristics, including a wide exposure margin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the reactivity of the protecting group of a polymer compound is increased to increase sensitivity, then sensitivity is improved, but the physical properties of the polymer compound change significantly, causing lithography characteristics to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical structure of the protecting group (changing from conventional groups to carboxylic acid ester groups with specific molecular weights) to achieve both high sensitivity and good lithography characteristics. The molecular weight of the carboxylic acid ester group is specifically controlled within the range of 50-200 to optimize both sensitivity and lithography performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the polymer compound with specific carboxylic acid ester protecting groups and acid generators in a resist composition. This composite approach allows the system to achieve high sensitivity through the acid-catalyzed deprotection reaction while maintaining good lithography characteristics through the controlled physical properties of the composite system.
2Measurement precision
If the reactivity of the protecting group is increased to achieve high sensitivity, then sensitivity is improved, but the exposure margin narrows, reducing the ability to stably form fine patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameter of the carboxylic acid ester protecting group (50-200) to balance sensitivity and exposure margin. This specific parameter range allows sufficient acid-catalyzed deprotection reaction for high sensitivity while controlling the physical property changes to maintain a wide exposure margin for stable fine pattern formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control through the acid-catalyzed deprotection reaction mechanism, where the protecting group reactivity is dynamically adjusted based on acid concentration and exposure conditions. This allows the system to achieve high sensitivity at optimal exposure points while maintaining stability across a wide exposure margin.
3Reliability
If conventional polymer compounds are used as base material components, then good physical properties are maintained, but the reactivity with acid is insufficient, limiting sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the protecting group from conventional types to carboxylic acid ester groups with specific molecular weights (50-200). This parameter change enables sufficient reactivity with acid through catalyzed deprotection while maintaining good physical properties of the polymer compound, thereby achieving both high sensitivity and good lithography characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses acid as an intermediary to mediate the deprotection reaction of the carboxylic acid ester protecting group. This intermediary mechanism enables the polymer compound to achieve high sensitivity through acid-catalyzed reaction while the protecting group structure is designed to maintain good physical properties, resolving the contradiction between reactivity and physical property stability.
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 higher sensitivity and better lithography characteristics, enabling stable formation of fine patterns by adjusting solubility in response to exposure, thereby enhancing pattern resolution and stability.
Implementation Method 1
a chemical amplification-type resist composition which contains a base material component exhibiting changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid, and an acid generator component which generates an acid upon exposure
Implementation Method 2
a resin component (A1) exhibiting changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition containing a resin component (A1) having a constitutional unit derived from a compound represented by General Formula (a01-1). In the formula, W01 represents a polymerizable group-containing group, Ct represents a tertiary carbon atom, and Xt represents a group that forms a monocyclic or polycyclic alicyclic group together with Ct, Ra1 to Ra3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a hydrogen atom, or two or more of Ra1 to Ra3 are bonded to each other to form an aliphatic ring, not all of Ra1 to Ra3 are hydrogen atoms, n represents 0 or 1