Resist Composition with Carboxylic Acid Generator for EUV Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current resist compositions containing onium salt-based acid generators struggle to achieve high sensitivity and desired resist pattern shapes, especially when exposed to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, leading to difficulties in forming fine resist patterns with improved lithography properties.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition is developed that includes a base material component with a specific structural unit and an acid generator component, which generates acid upon exposure, altering solubility in the developing solution, allowing for the formation of excellent shaped resist patterns with high sensitivity and improved lithography properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If onium salt-based acid generators are used in resist composition, then the resist can undergo chemical amplification upon exposure, but the sensitivity and resist pattern shape quality deteriorate, especially under EUV exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the acid generator by replacing onium salt-based acid generators with carboxylic acid-based acid generators. This parameter change fundamentally alters the acid generation mechanism upon exposure, enabling high sensitivity to EUV light while maintaining excellent resist pattern shape quality and lithography properties that were not achievable with onium salt-based generators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a proven chemical mechanism from other lithography systems (carboxylic acid-based acid generation) and applies it to the EUV resist system. This copying of a successful chemical amplification approach from other contexts enables the resist to achieve both high sensitivity and pattern fidelity under EUV exposure
2Productivity
If high sensitivity to EUV light is achieved, then exposure efficiency improves, but resist pattern shape quality and reduced roughness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resist system by introducing carboxylic acid-based acid generators and specific base resin components. These parameter changes enable the resist to simultaneously achieve high EUV sensitivity and excellent pattern shape quality with reduced roughness, resolving the trade-off between exposure efficiency and pattern fidelity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional base resin structures are used, then the resist composition is simple to manufacture, but the lithography properties and pattern formation quality worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite resist system by combining carboxylic acid-based acid generators with specific base resin components containing carboxyl groups. This composite material approach enables superior lithography properties and pattern formation quality while maintaining reasonable manufacturing simplicity through the use of well-defined chemical components
Data Source
AI summary
A resist composition containing a resin component having a structural unit represented by general formula (a0-1), and a compound represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (a0-1), R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group, Va1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, na1 represents an integer of 0 to 2, Ya0 is a carbon atom, Xa0 is a group forming a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group together with Ya0, and Ra00 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a specific unsaturated hydrocarbon group. In general formula (b1), Rb1 represents a cyclic hydrocarbon group, Yb1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond, Vb1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond, and Mm+ is an m-valent organic cation.