Wafer Surface Treatment Composition for Pattern Collapse Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surface treatment compositions used to form water-repellent protective films on semiconductor wafers suffer from inadequate surface modification capability and storage stability, particularly in the context of pattern collapse during cleaning steps due to miniaturization.

Innovation Solution

A surface treatment composition containing trialkylsilylamine as a silylating agent and glycol ether acetate and/or glycol acetate as solvents, with a total content of these solvents at 50% by mass or more, is applied as a vapor to form a water-repellent protective film on wafers with uneven patterns, enhancing surface modification and storage stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a water-repellent protective film is formed by supplying a chemical solution to replace cleaning liquid, then pattern collapse is prevented, but surface modification capability and storage stability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern collapse preventionVSAvoidsurface modification capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the surface treatment composition by specifying trialkylsilylamine as the silylating agent and glycol ether acetate/glycol acetate as solvents with specific content ratios (50% or more). These parameter changes improve both surface modification capability and storage stability while maintaining pattern collapse prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite chemical system combining trialkylsilylamine with specific solvent combinations (glycol ether acetate and/or glycol acetate). This composite material approach enhances the overall performance by synergistic effects, improving surface modification capability and storage stability simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a water-repellent protective film is formed by supplying a chemical solution to replace cleaning liquid, then pattern collapse is prevented, but storage stability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepattern collapse preventionVSAvoidstorage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters by selecting specific solvent types (glycol ether acetate and/or glycol acetate) and controlling their content (50% or more of total solvent). These parameter changes significantly improve storage stability while maintaining the water-repellent protective film formation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses readily available chemical compounds (trialkylsilylamine and glycol ether acetate/glycol acetate) that provide effective performance without requiring complex or unstable materials. This approach ensures both storage stability and practical applicability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 suppresses pattern collapse during drying steps by improving surface modification capability and storage stability, ensuring stable production of semiconductor wafers with fine patterns.

Implementation Method 1

a surface treatment composition that are supplied as a vapor to a surface of a wafer having an uneven pattern on the surface and used to form a water-repellent protective film on the surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical Vapour Deposition: Chemical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 2

changing, on the surface, a state of the vapor to a liquid to replace the cleaning liquid with the liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentUS12588446B2Surface treatment composition and method for producing wafer

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 CENT GLASS CO LTD

AI summary

A surface treatment composition of the present invention is a surface treatment composition that are supplied as a vapor to a surface of a wafer having an uneven pattern on the surface and used to form a water-repellent protective film on the surface, the surface treatment composition containing a silylating agent and a solvent, in which the silylating agent contains a trialkylsilylamine, the solvent contains at least one or more selected from the group consisting of glycol ether acetate and glycol acetate, and a total content of the glycol ether acetate and the glycol acetate is 50% by mass or more in 100% by mass of a total amount of the solvent.