VUV Light Source Wavelength Control for Patterning Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing patterning processes using vacuum ultra violet (VUV) light in an oxygen atmosphere suffer from the generation of active oxygen, which causes oxidative decomposition reactions in non-exposure areas, leading to pattern defects and reduced accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Irradiating a pattern forming substrate with VUV light having a continuous spectrum between 180 nm and 200 nm, reducing active oxygen generation and absorption, and using a light source like a short-arc flash lamp to maintain pattern accuracy despite variations in the mask-substrate distance or substrate thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If VUV light with wavelength less than 180 nm is used for patterning in an oxygen atmosphere, then the patterning process can be performed, but active oxygen is generated causing oxidative decomposition in non-exposure areas and deteriorating pattern accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of VUV light from less than 180 nm to 180 nm or more, which fundamentally alters the interaction with oxygen. This parameter change suppresses active oxygen generation while maintaining patterning capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of oxygen (active oxygen generation) into a beneficial situation by selecting a wavelength range where oxygen absorption is suppressed. This allows the use of oxygen atmosphere without suffering from active oxygen damage, turning a potential harm into an acceptable condition
2Manufacturing precision
If the entire irradiation atmosphere is purged with inert gas to suppress active oxygen generation, then pattern accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the wavelength parameter to 180 nm or more, the patent eliminates the need for inert gas purging. The oxygen atmosphere becomes acceptable at this wavelength, thereby maintaining pattern accuracy while avoiding the additional cost of inert gas infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic element (active oxygen generation) by changing the wavelength parameter, allowing the process to proceed in oxygen atmosphere without requiring the addition of expensive inert gas systems
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
This method enhances pattern accuracy by minimizing active oxygen generation and absorption, allowing for uniform patterning without the need for inert gas purging, thus reducing costs and improving the precision of patterns formed on substrates like cyclic olefin polymers.
Implementation Method 1
when an atmosphere containing oxygen is irradiated with the VUV light, oxygen is decomposed by the irradiated VUV light so that active oxygen, such as ozone or the like, is generated
Implementation Method 2
out of vacuum ultra violet light having the wavelength equal to or less than 200 nm used for an optical patterning, a light absorption significantly occurs by oxygen in the range of wavelength less than 180 nm, which is a short wavelength side, while a light absorption hardly occurs by oxygen in the range of wavelength from 180 nm to 200 nm
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a patterned object and a light irradiation apparatus that make it possible to form a pattern that accurately follows a mask pattern with higher accuracy in a patterning process of irradiating a pattern forming substrate with vacuum ultra violet light. The light irradiation apparatus includes a mask stage arranged apart from the pattern forming substrate and configured to hold a mask on which a prescribed pattern is formed, and a vacuum ultra violet light source unit configured to irradiate the pattern forming substrate with vacuum ultra violet light through the mask. A space between the mask and the pattern forming substrate is set to be an atmosphere containing oxygen. The vacuum ultra violet light source unit irradiates light, as the vacuum ultra violet light, having a continuous spectrum in a range where a wavelength ranges from 180 nm to 200 nm.