Semiconductor Treatment Liquid Purity for Fine Resist Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing treatment liquids fail to achieve low enough metal and particle concentrations, leading to defects and deterioration of lithographic performance, hindering the production of fine resist patterns and semiconductor elements.
Innovation Solution
A treatment liquid comprising specific compounds and inorganic matters, with controlled ratios and concentrations, is developed to suppress defects and improve lithographic performance, using a manufacturing method that includes synthesis and purification steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional treatment liquids are used, then basic cleaning and rinsing functions are provided, but metal concentration and particle concentration remain too high, causing migration, defects, and deterioration of lithographic performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by strictly controlling the metal concentration to 10 mass ppt or lower and particle concentration to extremely low levels. This quantitative parameter control transforms the treatment liquid from conventional high-metal-content formulations to ultra-pure compositions, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining cleaning effectiveness and eliminating harmful metal migration that causes lithographic defects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes harmful metal impurities and particles from the treatment liquid through advanced purification processes. By taking out these contaminants to achieve metal concentration of 10 mass ppt or lower, the invention eliminates the harmful factors causing migration and defects while preserving the essential cleaning and rinsing functions of the treatment liquid
2Reliability
If metal concentration is reduced to suppress migration, then defects caused by metal diffusion are reduced, but achieving such low metal concentration requires advanced purification processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing advanced purification processes during the treatment liquid manufacturing stage to pre-remove metal impurities before the liquid is used in semiconductor manufacturing. This preliminary purification to 10 mass ppt or lower metal concentration ensures that when the treatment liquid is applied to substrates, migration and defects are suppressed without requiring additional complex purification steps during the manufacturing process itself
3Manufacturing precision
If treatment liquid purity is increased to prevent metal migration, then lithographic performance is maintained, but the cost and complexity of producing such high purity liquid increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing specific quantitative thresholds for purity (metal concentration ≤10 mass ppt, particle concentration at ultra-low levels) that enable fine resist pattern formation without requiring excessively complex production processes. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by defining the minimum necessary purity level needed for lithographic performance while avoiding unnecessary complexity in the production process
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: a step of forming an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film on a substrate; a step of exposing the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film; and a step of treating the substrate or the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film using a treatment liquid for manufacturing a semiconductor. The treatment liquid includes one compound (A); one compound (B) or two or more compounds (B); and one inorganic matter (C) or two or more inorganic matters (C) having any element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, S, N, and K. A total content of the compound (B) in the treatment liquid is 10−10 to 0.1 mass %. A ratio P of the inorganic matter (C) to the compound (B) is 103 to 106. A total content of metal particles measured by a SP-ICP-MS method is 0.001 to 100 mass ppt.