Dissolution behavior of negative-type photoresists for display manufacture studied by quartz crystal microbalance method

Abstract

Photoresists have been widely used as patterning materials for electronic devices such as displays and semiconductors. Understanding pattern formation mechanisms is essential for the efficient development of resist materials. In particular, the dissolution mechanism of resist materials is an important process in pattern formation. In this study, the dissolution mechanisms of negative-type resists for display manufacture were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The changes in frequency during development were measured for polymer and resist films. The observed major trend was as follows. The development type changed from an insoluble state to a peeling type and a dissolution type with Case II diffusion with an increase in the acid value of the polymers. The characteristics of the dissolution with Case II diffusion are the formation of a transient swelling layer (dissolution front) and steady-state front motion (linear weight loss). For the dissolution with Case II diffusion, the dissolution time and the original thickness of the transient swelling layer decreased with an increase in the acid value of the polymers.

Dissolution dynamics of partially protected poly(4-hydroxystyrene) in tetraalkylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution

“…The increase in impedance change is considered to indicate the increase in polymer concentration near the polymer film surface because the observed dissolution kinetics are typical for the dissolution in Case II diffusion. [25][26][27][28][29] The maximum impedance change decreased with increasing protection ratios. This decrease indicates the decrease in solubility due to the increase in protection ratio.…”

Dependence of swelling and dissolution kinetics of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) in alkaline aqueous solution on alkyl chain length of tetraalkylammonium hydroxide

“…It is also important to understand the fundamentals of development and rinse processes to improve the development processes. [2][3][4] Thus, in this study, we measured the dissolution and swelling behavior of tetraalkylammonium hydroxide (TAAH) aqueous solutions in resist polymers using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The resist polymer was poly(4-hydroxystyrene) (PHS), the hydroxyl groups of which were partially protected with t-butoxycarbonyl groups.…”

Swelling and dissolution kinetics of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) in tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) aqueous solutions studied by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method—in comparison with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) aqueous solutions

“…The development processes of resist films have been widely investigated by various methods, such as visible and infrared reflectance spectroscopy, 13) a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method, [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] and high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM). 21) The dissolution is divided into three steps: [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] the diffusion of solvent molecules into the polymer bulk and subsequent swelling, the reaction between the polymer and the solvent molecules, and the diffusion of the polymer chain into the solvent bulk.…”