Resist Surface Modifying Liquid for Defect Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resist patterns formed using fluorine-containing polymer compounds exhibit high water repellency, leading to defects during the development process in lithographic techniques, particularly in liquid immersion exposure methods.
Innovation Solution
A resist surface modifying liquid containing an acidic compound and at least one alcohol-based or ether-based solvent is applied to the resist film before post-exposure baking, reducing water repellency and inhibiting defect occurrence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fluorine-containing polymer compound is used as base resin to improve water repellency and etching resistance, then etching resistance is improved, but water repellency becomes excessively high causing development defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a carboxyl group into the fluorine-containing polymer compound, which fundamentally alters the chemical properties of the base resin. This functional group modification enables the material to maintain high etching resistance while simultaneously reducing excessive water repellency, thereby preventing development defects. The carboxyl group changes the surface energy and hydrophobicity parameters of the resist film, achieving a balanced performance profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material structure by combining fluorine-containing polymer compound with carboxyl group functionality with other resist components. This composite approach allows the resist composition to exhibit both high etching resistance from the fluorine-containing polymer and appropriate water affinity from the carboxyl group, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
2Illumination intensity
If fluorine-containing polymer compound is used to enhance water repellency for liquid immersion exposure, then transparency and water repellency are improved, but defect occurrence increases during development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the fluorine-containing polymer compound by introducing a carboxyl group, which changes the surface energy and wettability characteristics. This parameter change maintains the optical transparency required for liquid immersion exposure while adjusting the hydrophobicity to prevent development defects, achieving a optimal balance between optical properties and surface properties.
3Strength
If conventional fluorine-containing polymer compound is used as base resin, then etching resistance is improved, but out-gas generation increases after exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies chemical structure modification by introducing a carboxyl group into the fluorine-containing polymer compound, which changes the thermal stability and decomposition characteristics of the material. This structural parameter change reduces out-gas generation during post-exposure baking while preserving the high etching resistance provided by the fluorine-containing polymer backbone, thereby eliminating the harmful side effect.
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 use of the resist surface modifying liquid effectively reduces water repellency of the resist pattern after development, thereby preventing defects and improving the formation of high-resolution resist patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a resist surface modifying liquid which is used as a surface treatment liquid of a resist film prior to a post exposure baking (PEB) step, and contains an acidic compound
Implementation Method 2
contains an acidic compound, and at least one of an alcohol-based solvent represented by general formula (1) and an ether-based solvent represented by general formula (2)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are: a resist surface modifying liquid which is used as a surface treatment liquid of a resist film prior to a post exposure baking (PEB) step, and which can inhibit occurrence of defects of the resist film by reducing water repellency; and a method for forming a resist pattern using the same. A resist surface modifying liquid which is used as a surface treatment liquid prior to a post exposure baking (PEB) step of a resist film, the resist surface modifying liquid containing an acidic compound, and at least one of an alcohol-based solvent represented by a certain general formula and an ether-based solvent represented by a certain general formula.