Negative Tone Resist Composition for High-Resolution Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resist compositions for negative tone development in lithography techniques face limitations in achieving excellent lithography properties due to unconsidered solubility in developing solutions, particularly in forming fine resist patterns with high resolution and uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A resist composition comprising a base component with reduced solubility in organic solvents, an acid generator, and a fluorine-containing polymeric compound, where the base component contains structural units derived from acrylate esters with specific substituents, ensuring controlled dissolution rates and improved polarity under acid action, allowing for precise pattern formation in negative tone development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional resist composition is used for negative tone development, then the process is simple, but the lithography properties such as resolution and CDU are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite resist composition containing polyhydroxystyrene as base resin, fluorinated polymer as solubility control agent, and novolak resin as adhesion promoter. This multi-component system achieves excellent lithography properties including high resolution and uniform CDU by combining materials with complementary functions, resolving the contradiction between performance and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameters including the fluorine content (0.1-10 wt%), molecular weight range (10,000-1,000,000), and dissolution rate control (0.1-10 nm/s) to achieve desired lithography performance. By precisely controlling these parameters, the composition achieves high resolution and uniform CDU while maintaining manageable complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the solubility of base resin is increased for better dissolution, then the pattern formation is improved, but the resolution and pattern uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fluorinated polymer acts as an intermediary that modulates the solubility of the base resin. It provides controlled dissolution by interacting with both the base resin and developing solution, enabling adequate dissolution performance while maintaining pattern uniformity through its solubility control function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the dissolution rate within a specific range (0.1-10 nm/s) by adjusting the fluorine content and molecular weight of the fluorinated polymer. This parameter optimization ensures that the base resin dissolves sufficiently for pattern formation while maintaining uniformity and resolution.
3Quantity of substance
If high concentration of base resin is used for sufficient coverage, then the film thickness is adequate, but the dissolution control and pattern precision are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fluorinated polymer serves as a mediator that controls the dissolution behavior of high-concentration base resin. It enables adequate film coverage through sufficient resin content while maintaining pattern precision by regulating the dissolution rate and preventing excessive dissolution that would compromise precision.
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 enables the formation of resist patterns with enhanced lithography properties, including improved CDU and high-resolution patterns, by controlling the solubility and dissolution rates of the base and fluorine-containing compounds, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional compositions.
Implementation Method 1
an acid generator component that generates acid upon exposure
Implementation Method 2
The base resin used exhibits increased polarity under the action of acid, thereby exhibiting increased solubility in an alkali developing solution
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a resist pattern, the method including: forming a resist film on a substrate using a resist composition containing a base component (A) that exhibits reduced solubility in an organic solvent under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B) that generates acid upon exposure and a fluorine-containing polymeric compound (F), exposing the resist film, and patterning the resist film by negative tone development using a developing solution containing the organic solvent, thereby forming a resist pattern, wherein the base component (A) contains a resin component (A1) containing a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester, the dissolution rates of (A1) and (F) in the developing solution are each at least 10 nm/s, and the absolute value of the difference in the dissolution rates of (A1) and (F) in the developing solution is not more than 80 nm/s.