Resist Surface Treatment Composition for Lower Line Width Roughness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chemically amplified photoresist systems face limitations in achieving high resolution, low line width roughness (LWR), and high sensitivity, which are essential for next-generation semiconductor lithography.
Innovation Solution
A material composition comprising a treatment monomer, a grafting monomer, and an etching resistance monomer is used to treat the resist material, improving line width roughness (LWR) and local critical dimension uniformity (LCDU) through either a post-treatment or in-situ treatment process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If chemically amplified photoresist systems are used to increase sensitivity to exposing light source, then resist sensitivity is improved, but line width roughness and resolution are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite resist system combining chemically amplified photoresist with a novel treatment composition containing multiple monomers (including sulfonated monomers, carboxylic acid monomers, and cyclic carbonate monomers). This composite approach allows the resist to maintain high sensitivity from the chemically amplified component while the treatment composition suppresses line width roughness and improves resolution through chemical modification of the resist matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies chemical treatment to modify the resist material's properties by introducing functional groups (sulfonate, carboxylic acid, cyclic carbonate) that change the chemical and physical parameters of the resist. This treatment alters the resist's molecular structure and intermolecular forces, thereby reducing line width roughness and improving critical dimension uniformity while preserving the sensitivity enhancements from chemical amplification.
2Manufacturing precision
If radiation source wavelength is decreased to achieve higher resolution, then minimum feature size is improved, but photon absorption in thin films is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the resist material's chemical composition and physical properties through treatment with specialized monomers that enhance photon absorption efficiency. The treatment introduces chromophoric groups and modifies the electronic structure of the resist molecules, increasing their absorption cross-section for extreme ultraviolet photons while maintaining the fine resolution capabilities enabled by short wavelength radiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resist system that combines base photoresist materials with treatment composition containing functional monomers. This composite structure provides both the high resolution necessary for short wavelength lithography and enhanced photon absorption through the treatment components, effectively decoupling these two previously conflicting requirements.
3Use of energy by moving object
If chemically amplified photoresist is used to increase sensitivity, then resist sensitivity is improved, but etch selectivity is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies chemical treatment to modify the resist's molecular structure and etching resistance properties. The introduced functional groups (sulfonate, carboxylic acid, cyclic carbonate) create a more robust resist matrix that maintains better etch selectivity during subsequent processing steps, while the chemically amplified components continue to provide high sensitivity to the exposing light source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite resist system where the treatment composition works synergistically with the chemically amplified photoresist. The treatment components provide enhanced etch resistance and selectivity, while the chemically amplified components provide high sensitivity, allowing both properties to coexist in the final resist formulation.
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 treated resist material achieves significantly reduced line width roughness and improved local critical dimension uniformity, resulting in smoother line edges and surfaces, which are critical for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion of the treatment material bonds to surfaces of the patterned resist layer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a material composition and method that includes forming a patterned resist layer on a substrate, where the patterned resist layer has a first line width roughness. In various embodiments, the patterned resist layer is coated with a treatment material, where a first portion of the treatment material bonds to surfaces of the patterned resist layer. In some embodiments, a second portion of the treatment material (e.g., not bonded to surfaces of the patterned resist layer) is removed, thereby providing a treated patterned resist layer, where the treated patterned resist layer has a second line width roughness less than the first line width roughness.