Resist Composition with Brominated Acid Diffusion Control Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current resist compositions for semiconductor and liquid crystal display element lithography, particularly with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or electron beam (EB) exposure, face challenges in achieving high sensitivity and uniformity of resist patterns due to limited acid diffusion control, especially with reduced photon numbers compared to ArF or KrF excimer lasers.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition incorporating a base material component that changes solubility in a developing solution under acid action, combined with an acid diffusion control agent featuring a condensed cyclic group with bromine or iodine-containing hydrocarbon substituents, enhancing acid diffusion control and sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an acid diffusion control agent with a bicyclooctane skeleton is used, then uniformity of acid diffusion control is improved, but sensitivity of the resist composition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the acid diffusion control agent by replacing the bicyclooctane skeleton with a camphor skeleton, which has different steric and electronic properties. This structural parameter change allows simultaneous achievement of uniform acid diffusion control and high sensitivity in EUV/EB lithography
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite acid diffusion control agent by combining the camphor skeleton with specific anion moieties (such as sulfonate, carboxylate, or phosphate groups) and organic cations. This composite structure enables both uniform diffusion control and enhanced sensitivity by optimizing the balance between hydrophobicity and acid-generating capability
2Measurement precision
If the resist pattern size is reduced to several tens of nanometers, then lithography resolution is improved, but critical dimension uniformity (CDU) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The camphor-based acid diffusion control agent provides localized acid diffusion control at the nanometer scale, creating different acid diffusion characteristics in different regions of the resist film. This local quality control enables maintenance of CDU even at reduced pattern sizes by preventing excessive acid migration that would otherwise blur pattern edges
3Loss of energy
If the number of photons is reduced in EUV/EB exposure, then energy consumption is reduced, but sensitivity of the resist composition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The camphor-based acid diffusion control agent enhances the self-amplification capability of the chemical amplification resist system. By optimizing acid diffusion control, it enables more efficient acid-catalyzed deprotection reactions, allowing the resist to achieve high sensitivity with fewer incident photons in EUV/EB exposure
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 improved critical dimension uniformity (CDU) for fine pattern formation, addressing the limitations of existing technologies by optimizing acid diffusion and solubility changes for EUV and EB exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a base material component (A) that exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under the action of an acid
Implementation Method 2
an acid diffusion control agent component (D) that controls the diffusion of the acid generated upon exposure
Implementation Method 3
a resist composition that generates an acid upon exposure
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition containing a base material component (A) and a compound represented by General Formula (d0), in which Rd0 represents a condensed cyclic group in which an aromatic ring and an alicyclic ring are condensed, the alicyclic ring in the condensed cyclic group has a substituent, at least one of the substituents includes a hydrocarbon group having a bromine atom or a hydrocarbon group having an iodine atom, Yd0 represents a divalent linking group or a single bond, Yd0 is bonded to the alicyclic ring in the condensed cyclic group, Mm+ represents an m-valent organic cation, m represents an integer of 1 or more