Chemically Amplified Resist Composition with Alkoxyalkyl Base Resin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chemically amplified positive resist compositions face challenges in achieving high resolution, good in-plane dimension uniformity, and high etching resistance, particularly as pattern sizes decrease, leading to issues with heat resistance, contamination, and poor pattern profiles.
Innovation Solution
A polymer with specific repeating units and a CLogP value of at least 2.9 is used as a base resin in a chemically amplified positive resist composition, combined with an acid generator and optionally a surfactant and basic compound, to enhance resolution, uniformity, and etching resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a base resin has a tert-butyl group as an acid labile group, then the resist composition has high sensitivity, but the baking optimum temperature becomes too high (about 130°C) and T-top pattern profiles occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the acid labile group from conventional tert-butyl groups to specific alkoxyalkyl groups (where R1-R6 follow the patent's definitions). This structural parameter change allows the resist to achieve high sensitivity while lowering the baking optimum temperature to 90-120°C and preventing T-top pattern profiles.
2Temperature
If a base resin has a tert-butoxycarbonyl group as an acid labile group, then the resist composition can be processed at lower temperatures, but the resolution becomes low and T-top pattern profiles occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters by introducing specific alkoxyalkyl groups with defined molecular structures (R1-R6 configurations) that maintain low baking temperatures (90-120°C) while simultaneously achieving high resolution and eliminating T-top pattern profiles, overcoming the limitations of tert-butoxycarbonyl groups.
3Temperature
If an alkoxyalkyl group such as ethoxyethyl or 2-tetrahydropyranyl is used as an acid labile group, then the resist composition can process at low temperatures, but the pattern profile thins considerably over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular structure parameters of the alkoxyalkyl group by specifically defining R1-R6 substituents and molecular architecture, which enhances the stability of the pattern profile over time while maintaining low processing temperatures (90-120°C), preventing the thinning issue observed with conventional alkoxyalkyl groups.
4Device complexity
If conventional base resins are used, then the resist composition can be formulated simply, but heat resistance is insufficient and lens contamination occurs due to outgassing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by incorporating fluorinated alkoxyalkyl groups and specific molecular structures (with defined R1-R6 groups) that reduce outgassing and improve heat resistance, thereby eliminating lens contamination while maintaining formulation simplicity.
5Productivity
If pattern size is reduced for higher integration, then more devices can be integrated, but in-plane dimension uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameters and chemical structure parameters of the base resin (with specific R1-R6 configurations) to achieve excellent in-plane dimension uniformity even at reduced pattern sizes, enabling higher integration while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a polymer at least comprising repeating units represented by the following general formulae (1) and (2), and the polymer having a mass average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000. There can be provided a polymer, and a resist composition, in particular, a chemically amplified positive resist composition that exhibit higher resolution than conventional positive resist compositions, good in-plane dimension uniformity of developed resist patterns on substrates such as mask blanks and high etching resistance.