Resist Underlayer Film Composition for Sublimation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resist underlayer films in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges with heat resistance and sublimation issues during the baking process, particularly when using shorter wavelength active rays, which affect the quality of the resist pattern and semiconductor device production.
Innovation Solution
A resist underlayer film forming composition is developed, comprising a specific compound with a particular structure and a cross-linkable compound, along with a cross-linking catalyst, to reduce sublimation and enhance heat resistance, allowing for improved adhesion and etching resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional resist underlayer film material is used, then the film can be formed on the substrate, but the heat resistance is insufficient and sublimation occurs during baking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of a polyhydroxy compound (containing multiple hydroxyl groups) and a crosslinking agent. The polyhydroxy compound provides the base film structure while the crosslinking agent creates a three-dimensional crosslinked network. This composite approach enables the film to achieve both formability and high heat resistance, with the crosslinked structure preventing sublimation during baking processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the underlayer film by selecting a polyhydroxy compound with specific molecular weight and hydroxyl group content, and reacting it with a crosslinking agent to form a crosslinked structure. This parameter change from a simple polymer to a crosslinked network dramatically improves heat resistance and eliminates sublimation while maintaining film formation capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If the photoresist wavelength is shortened to achieve finer micro-fabrication, then resolution improves, but irregular reflection and standing waves become serious problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a resist underlayer film as an intermediary layer between the photoresist and the substrate. This intermediate layer serves multiple functions: it absorbs excess light energy to reduce standing waves, provides a gradient refractive index to minimize irregular reflection, and improves adhesion. The polyhydroxy compound with its specific chemical structure and crosslinked network makes this intermediary layer highly effective for shorter wavelength lithography.
3Manufacturing precision
If a resist underlayer film is added to improve resolution and adhesion, then lithography performance improves, but the complexity of the manufacturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the resist underlayer film composition to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides adhesion between photoresist and substrate, absorbs light to reduce standing waves, prevents irregular reflection, and offers heat resistance during baking. The polyhydroxy compound combined with crosslinking achieves all these functions in a single layer, reducing the need for multiple separate films and simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite adding an underlayer step.
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 composition effectively reduces sublimation matter generation during baking, providing enhanced heat resistance and etching resistance, leading to improved semiconductor device production with better resist pattern formation and substrate processing.
Implementation Method 1
a cross-linkable compound which reacts with a compound of formula (1) to form cross-links
Implementation Method 2
baking a coating film of the corresponding resist underlayer film forming composition
Implementation Method 3
reduces the amount of sublimation matter which is generated in forming a resist underlayer film by baking
Data Source
AI summary
A resist underlayer film forming composition characterized by containing (A) a compound represented by formula (1) (in formula (1), independently, R1 represents a C1 to C30 divalent group; each of R2 to R7 represents a C1 to C10 linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group, a C6 to C10 aryl group, a C2 to C10 alkenyl group, a thiol group, or a hydroxyl group; at least one R5 is a hydroxyl group or a thiol group; each of m2, m3, and m6 is an integer of 0 to 9; each of m4 and m7 is an integer of 0 to 8; m5 is an integer of 1 to 9; n is an integer of 0 to 4; and each of p2 to p7 is an integer of 0 to 2) and a cross-linkable compound represented by formula (2-1) or (2-2) (in formula (2), Q1 represents a single bond or an m12-valent organic group; each of R12 and R15 independently represents a C2 to C10 alkyl group or a C2 to C10 alkyl group having a C1 to C10 alkoxy group; each of R13 and R16 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; each of R14 and R17 represents a C1 to C10 alkyl group or a C6 to C40 aryl group; n12 is an integer of 1 to 3; n13 is an integer of 2 to 5; n14 is an integer of 0 to 3; n15 is an integer of 0 to 3, with these ns having a relationship of 3≤(n12+n13+n14+n15)≥6; n16 is an integer of 1 to 3; n17 is an integer of 1 to 4; n18 is an integer of 0 to 3; n19 is an integer of 0 to 3, with these ns having a relationship of 2≤(n16+n17+n18+n19)≤5; and m12 is an integer of 2 to 10).