Extreme ultra-violet resists development concepts and performances.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Semiconductor Manufacturing

Background:

• Current extreme ultra-violet lithography (EUVL) patterning faces significant challenges in simultaneously meeting resolution, line-width roughness (LWR), and sensitivity (RLS) specifications.
• Trade-offs between RLS performances in photoresist materials hinder the advancement of semiconductor device manufacturing.
• Existing EUVL processes struggle with achieving uniform resist films and controlling critical parameters like acid diffusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel EUVL resist materials that overcome the inherent trade-offs between resolution, line-width roughness, and sensitivity.
• To enhance resist film homogeneity and precisely control acid diffusion for improved patterning performance.
• To meet stringent device manufacturing specification goals for next-generation semiconductor fabrication.

Main Methods:

• Utilized living radical polymerization and purification to achieve uniform resist films with evenly interacting polymer chains.
• Optimized molecular structures of resist components (polymer, photo acid generator (PAG), quencher) for enhanced miscibility.
• Controlled acid diffusivity by adjusting polymer glass transition temperature (T(g)) and photo-acid polarity.
• Implemented a surfactant rinse process during EUVL to mitigate line-width roughness and pattern collapse.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated improved resist film homogeneity through advanced polymerization and purification techniques.
• Achieved enhanced miscibility of resist components, leading to more predictable acid diffusion characteristics.
• Successfully reduced line-width roughness and pattern collapse using the surfactant rinse process.
• Showcased EUV performance aligned with material development concepts focused on homogeneity and diffusion control.

Conclusions:

• The developed EUVL resist materials and processing strategies effectively address the RLS trade-off limitations.
• Achieving resist film homogeneity and controlled acid diffusion are critical for meeting advanced device manufacturing specifications.
• This approach offers a viable pathway to enhance resolution, reduce line-width roughness, and improve sensitivity in EUVL.