Negative-tone imaging with EUV exposure toward 13nm hp

Tsubaki, Hideaki; Nihashi, Wataru; Tsuchihashi, Toru; Yamamoto, Kei; Goto, Takahiro

doi:10.1117/12.2218761

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Tone inversion via ASD is interesting because it uses a relatively simple positive resist material to produce a negative image, where the resulting imaged material is more etch resistant than most available starting organic resist materials. 30,31 For ideal tone inversion ASD, it is desirable for the film to nucleate rapidly on the underlying substrate with minimal growth on the developed resist. Figure 1c demonstrates EUV pattern improvement via resist hardening.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure b demonstrates a “tone inversion” process, which converts a positive image (printed with positive resist) to a negative image. Tone inversion via ASD is interesting because it uses a relatively simple positive resist material to produce a negative image, where the resulting imaged material is more etch resistant than most available starting organic resist materials. , For ideal tone inversion ASD, it is desirable for the film to nucleate rapidly on the underlying substrate with minimal growth on the developed resist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enhancing Performance and Function of Polymethacrylate Extreme Ultraviolet Resists Using Area-Selective Deposition

et al. 2023

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Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is a critical enabler in nextgeneration technology, although the low etch resistance of conventional organic EUV resists results in low resolution pattern transfer, particularly for smaller features. In this work, we integrate area-selective deposition (ASD), a bottom-up nanopatterning technique, with EUV resists of industrially relevant thicknesses (<50 nm thick) to form resist hardening or tone inverting layers for improved resolution. We utilize TiO 2 ASD via atomic layer deposition on 25−35 nm thin photosensitive polymethacrylate-based EUV materials. By tuning the polymer structure and functionality, we enable different scenarios for selective deposition on top of the resist, infiltrated into the bulk resist, or selective to the resist. We find that a cyclohexyl protecting group causes TiO 2 inhibition, thus showing promise for tone inversion applications with oxide underlayers. In contrast, resist materials containing a tert-butyl protecting group are good candidates for resist hardening because they enable TiO 2 deposition on both EUV exposed and unexposed polymers. Furthermore, we report the integration of a dimethylamino-trimethylsilane inhibitor with the resists to inhibit TiO 2 surface nucleation and facilitate subsurface diffusion, thus further broadening potential applications. The results described here establish an important baseline for utilizing ASD on various organic resists to achieve tone inversion or resist hardening and hence improve EUV pattern resolution.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Performance and Function of Polymethacrylate Extreme Ultraviolet Resists Using Area-Selective Deposition

et al. 2023

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“…Another potential method to improve CAR performance is tone inversion, for example inverting the pattern from a positive tone resist (which is typically easier to fabricate) to create a negative pattern from a higher etch resistance material (e.g., TiO 2 ). [4][5][6] One advancing technique that has the potential to improve patterning processes in the aforementioned ways and thus greatly improve EUV lithography performance is area-selective deposition (ASD). [7][8][9] ASD is a bottom-up nanopatterning technique that exploits chemical differences on a surface to deposit material in one region without depositing in an adjacent region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compatibility between polymethacrylate-based extreme ultraviolet resists and TiO2 area-selective deposition

Nye

Dongen

Oka

et al. 2022

J. Micro/Nanopattern. Mats. Metro.

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Background: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is crucial to achieving smaller device sizes for next-generation technology, although organic resists face substantial challenges, such as low etch resistance, which limit the resolution of smaller features.Aim: Evaluate the potential for area-selective deposition (ASD) to improve EUV pattern resolution (e.g., by increasing etch resistance).Approach: We evaluate thermal compatibility, atomic layer deposition growth rate, and selectivity for TiO 2 ASD on various organic EUV resist materials using water contact angle, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of photo-acid generator (PAG) and EUV exposure on polymer properties and selectivity are considered. Results:The organic resist materials studied demonstrate thermal compatibility with TiO 2 ALD (125°C for 60 min). The TiO 2 ALD process from TiCl 4 and H 2 O proceeds readily on poly(tert-butyl methacrylate), poly(p-hydroxystyrene), and poly(p-hydroxystyrene-randommethacrylic acid) polymers, with and without PAG incorporation, in either the as-formed or EUV exposed state. However, TiO 2 is inhibited on poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate). Conclusions:We demonstrate that as-formed EUV resists can serve as either the growth or nongrowth surface during TiO 2 ASD, thereby enabling resist hardening and tone inversion applications, respectively. These results serve as a basis for further ASD studies on EUV resist materials to improve pattern resolution in next-generation devices.

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“…This would be especially helpful to convert from positive tone resists, which are typically easier to fabricate, to negative tone patterns, which typically result in higher resolution, lower LER, and less pattern collapse during pattern transfer. [4][5][6] One advancing technique that has potential to improve patterning processes in the aforementioned ways and thus greatly improve EUV lithography performance is area-selective deposition (ASD). [7][8][9] ASD is a bottom-up nanopatterning technique that exploits chemical differences on a surface to deposit material on one region without depositing on an adjacent region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving polymethacrylate EUV resists with TiO2 area-selective deposition

Nye

Dongen

Oka

et al. 2022

Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XXXIX

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Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is crucial to achieving smaller device sizes for next-generation technology, although organic resists face substantial challenges, such as low etch resistance, which limit the resolution of smaller features. Area-selective deposition (ASD) is one potential avenue to improve pattern resolution from organic EUV resists by selectively depositing material on one region of the resist, while preventing material deposition on an adjacent region. We therefore evaluate the compatibility of various organic EUV resists with area-selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes, including considering the effects of photo-acid generator (PAG) and EUV exposure on polymer properties and selectivity. The thermal stability of thin resist materials at the TiO2 deposition temperature (125 o C for 60 minutes) is confirmed with water contact angle and atomic force microscopy. Upon TiO2 ALD from TiCl4 and H2O, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry reveals successful TiO2 deposition on poly(tert-butyl methacrylate), poly(p-hydroxystyrene), and poly(p-hydroxystyrene-random-methacrylic acid) polymers, regardless of PAG or EUV exposure. However, TiO2 inhibition is observed on poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate). Thus, we demonstrate that EUV polymers can serve as either the growth or non-growth surface during TiO2 ASD, an insight that can be used to enable resist hardening and tone inversion applications, respectively. These results serve as a basis for further ASD studies on EUV resist materials to improve pattern resolution in next-generation devices.

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Negative-tone imaging with EUV exposure toward 13nm hp

Cited by 8 publications

References 7 publications

Enhancing Performance and Function of Polymethacrylate Extreme Ultraviolet Resists Using Area-Selective Deposition

Enhancing Performance and Function of Polymethacrylate Extreme Ultraviolet Resists Using Area-Selective Deposition

Compatibility between polymethacrylate-based extreme ultraviolet resists and TiO2 area-selective deposition

Improving polymethacrylate EUV resists with TiO2 area-selective deposition

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