Spin-on Polymer Hard Mask for Semiconductor Lithography
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor manufacturing processes face challenges with photoresist film thickness, etching selectivity, and pattern collapse due to the limitations of existing hard masks, particularly in achieving high-resolution patterns below 30 nm, where existing polymers with high carbon content struggle with storage stability, line compatibility, and coating uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A novel polymer with a specific repeating unit structure, represented by Chemical Formula 1, is developed, which provides excellent thermal stability, etching resistance, and solubility in organic solvents, enabling improved coating uniformity and storage stability, and is used in a resist underlayer film composition for semiconductor manufacturing, suitable as a hard mask in multilayer lithography processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing polymers with high carbon content are used to improve etching resistance, then etching resistance is improved, but storage stability and coating uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the polymer structure by introducing specific substituents (fluorine atoms, aromatic groups) and adjusting molecular weight to achieve optimal balance between etching resistance and storage stability. The carbon content is maintained high (≥80%) while incorporating functional groups that improve solvent compatibility and reduce aggregation, thereby maintaining storage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite polymer structure combining high carbon content aromatic groups for etching resistance with fluorinated segments and specific side chains for improved solubility and storage stability. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of high etching resistance and stable storage properties.
2Manufacturing precision
If photoresist film thickness is reduced to achieve high resolution patterns, then resolution is improved, but etching selectivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spin-on hard mask polymer as an intermediary layer between the photoresist and the underlying layer. This intermediate layer provides the necessary etching selectivity and protection, allowing the photoresist to be made thinner for high resolution without compromising etching performance. The hard mask serves as a mediator that decouples the thickness requirement from the etching selectivity requirement.
3Reliability
If CVD process is used to form hard mask for good etching selectivity, then etching resistance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the CVD (chemical vapor deposition) process with a spin-coating process for forming the hard mask layer. This substitution changes the formation mechanism from vapor-phase chemical deposition to solution-based coating, significantly simplifying the process equipment requirements and reducing complexity while maintaining the essential etching resistance function through optimized polymer composition.
4Device complexity
If spin-coating is used to form hard mask for reduced complexity, then process simplicity is improved, but etching resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters of the spin-on polymer including molecular weight (500-50,000), carbon content (≥80%), and specific functional group composition to achieve etching resistance comparable to or exceeding CVD hard masks. The polymer structure is specifically designed with high carbon content aromatic groups and controlled molecular weight to provide sufficient etching barrier properties through the simpler spin-coating process.
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 novel polymer enhances etching resistance, thermal stability, and coating uniformity, improving storage stability and line compatibility, and allows for effective gap-fill and planarization characteristics, making it suitable for high-resolution semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
the novel polymer of the present disclosure simultaneously has optimized etching selectivity and planarization characteristic... excellent thermal stability
Implementation Method 2
excellent solubility to general organic solvents
Implementation Method 3
high etching resistance... optimized etching selectivity
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a polymer used for a manufacturing process of a semiconductor and a display, a resist underlayer film composition containing the polymer for a manufacturing process of a semiconductor and a display, and a method for manufacturing semiconductor device using the composition, and more specifically, the polymer of the present disclosure simultaneously has optimized etching selectivity and planarization characteristics, such that the resist underlayer film composition containing the polymer is usable as a hard mask for a multilayer semiconductor lithography process.