Correlation Between Simulation and Experiment Using Uv Curable Gap Fill Materials for Global Planarization

Abstract

This study focuses on the correlation between simulation and experiment using UV curable gap fill materials for global planarization in advanced lithographic and nanoimprinting techniques. A novel gap fill material has been optimized and developed for global planarization properties. Gap fill materials planarize irregular substrates such as patterned steps, vias, and trenches to increase depth of focus and patterning resolution. After planarizing the substrate surface, the gap fill materials provide dry etching selectivity to the under-layer to avoid damaging the dielectric materials. In the characterization of UV curable gap fill materials, two key factors were identified. The factors were the specific dependence of planarization on the spin speed and film thickness. By optimizing these factors, an appreciable reduction in via topography was realized. An array of 1.1 µm deep, 300 nm diameter holes was planarized to 10 nm thickness bias with a 380 nm thick planarizing film. In addition of global planarization, a final design consideration was to reduce the amount of outgassing during the process. UV curable gap fill material was optimized for sublimate reduction resulting in a defect-free coating. The sublimate produced from the developed gap fill material during baking was significantly decreased when compared with that produced from a thermal curable material. And, the third evaluation of UV curable gap fill materials was reported, to avoid resist poisoning issues in an advanced via-first dual damascene process. The resist poisoning properties in UV curable gap fill material were observed better performance than that of thermal curable material. The resulting UV curable gap fill materials based on this study will be extremely useful for lithographic and nanoimprinting techniques.

Step and Flash Nano Imprint Lithography of 80 nm Dense Line Pattern Using Trehalose Derivative Resist Material

“…A stripping test result of less than 10 nm was considered acceptable. [17][18][19][20] The stripping test showed no detectable changes (less than 1.0 nm) in 300 nm film thickness of NCI-NIL-R01 and 100 nm film thickness of NCI-NIL-U01, indicating that NCI-NIL-R01 and NCI-NIL-U01 do not interact significantly. It was obvious that these materials were crosslinked in terms of resistance.…”

Step and Flash Imprint of Fluorinated Silicon-Containing Resist Materials for Three-Dimensional Nanofabrication

“…A stripping test result of less than 10 nm indicated that the film was sufficiently crosslinked and this was considered acceptable. 19,20)…”

Silicon-Containing Spin-on Underlayer Material for Step and Flash Nanoimprint Lithography

“…The highest resolution patterning was demonstrated by Willson at the University of Texas, 1) and by Sakai,2) and Liang et al 3) Multiple spinon planarizing materials for lithography have been also reported. [4][5][6] For advanced nanoimprint lithography, [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] however, further technical progress is required in resist pattern peeling, generated defects, process throughput, and the manufacture of high-resolution templates. On these issues, we have developed a new hard mask material with methacrylate side groups in siloxane polymer to obtain a wider imprinting margin, higher regional planarization on…”