Resist Pattern Formation via Metal Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In photolithography for semiconductor device manufacturing, pattern collapse occurs due to surface tension of developing solutions, especially as resist patterns are miniaturized to 20 nm or less, making it difficult to form accurate resist patterns with high aspect ratios.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treatment method that forms a resist pattern by exposing the resist film to generate OH groups, allowing a treatment agent and metal to infiltrate the exposed areas, and then removing the unexposed portions, thereby omitting the need for developing solutions and reducing pattern collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a developing solution with decreased surface tension is used to suppress pattern collapse, then the pattern collapse is suppressed, but the manufacturing precision and reliability are insufficient for miniaturized resist patterns with high aspect ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the developing solution step from the conventional photolithography process. By removing the developing solution that causes surface tension-related pattern collapse, the method directly forms resist patterns through metal infiltration into exposed portions, achieving high precision pattern formation without the harmful surface tension effects
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the chemical developing process with a physical/chemical metal infiltration process. Instead of using developing solutions to remove unexposed resist, the method uses metal treatment agents to infiltrate exposed portions and subsequent etching to remove unexposed areas, substituting the mechanical/chemical developing system with a different mechanism that avoids surface tension problems
2Productivity
If the resist pattern aspect ratio increases due to miniaturization, then the device density increases, but the pattern collapse becomes more prominent
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the developing solution step that causes surface tension, the invention enables successful pattern formation even for miniaturized resist patterns with high aspect ratios. The metal infiltration method provides sufficient structural support and precision without the collapsing effects of liquid developing solutions on tall, thin resist structures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the pattern formation process by replacing liquid developing solutions with metal treatment agents and etching processes. This parameter change allows the resist patterns to maintain their high aspect ratio structures without undergoing collapse, enabling continued device miniaturization
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
This method allows for the formation of resist patterns with high etching selectivity, reducing pattern collapse and enabling precise pattern formation on substrates without the need for developing solutions, even at high aspect ratios.
Implementation Method 1
by exposing the resist film in the exposure step, OH groups (hydroxyl groups) are generated in the exposed portion of the resist film
Implementation Method 2
in the metal treatment step, the treatment agent enters the exposed portion targeting functional groups having affinity therefor such as the OH groups in the exposed portion
Implementation Method 3
Along with the entrance of the treatment agent into the exposed portion, metal also enters the exposed portion using the treatment agent as an entrance route
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes: a resist film forming step of forming a resist film over a substrate; an exposure step of exposing the resist film into a predetermined pattern; a metal treatment step of causing a treatment agent to enter an exposed portion exposed in the exposure step of the resist film and causing metal to infiltrate the exposed portion via the treatment agent; and a resist film removing step of removing an unexposed portion not exposed in the exposure step of the resist film to form a resist pattern over the substrate.