Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive... – Radiation sensitive composition or product or process of making
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-03
2004-09-28
Zalukaeva, Tatyana (Department: 1713)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive...
Radiation sensitive composition or product or process of making
C430S280100, C430S281100, C430S910000, C430S921000, C430S325000, C430S327000, C430S330000, C522S059000, C522S068000, C522S149000, C525S286000, C525S426000, C525S502000, C526S273000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06797451
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a resin and a process for using the same in forming a photoresist pattern. In particular, the present invention relates to a resin for reducing or inhibiting the amount of light reflecting from the lower film layer of a wafer (i.e., semiconductor substrate).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During a photoresist pattern formation step in a semiconductor fabrication process, standing wave effect and reflective notching phenomenon occur due to variations in the optical properties and the thickness of a layer of film coated below the photoresist layer and the photoresist layer itself. In addition, a change in the critical dimension (CD) can occur due to diffracted and reflected light from the lower layer. Accordingly, a reflection-inhibiting film that is capable of absorbing the reflected light is often coated on to the substrate below the photoresist layer. The reflection-inhibiting film includes a material which has a high absorbance of the wavelength of light used in the photoresist pattern formation.
A reflection-inhibiting film can be generally classified as an “organic” film or an “inorganic” film according to the type of materials used. The reflection-inhibiting film can also be catagorized as an “absorption-type” or an “interference-type” film.
The process for forming a photoresist pattern using i-line (365 nm) radiation has typically used an inorganic reflection-inhibiting film. For example, TiN and amorphous carbon (a-C) are typically used for absorption-type reflection-inhibiting films and SiON is generally used as interference-type reflection-inhibiting films. In a photoresist pattern formation using KrF (248 nm) radiation, an inorganic reflection-inhibiting film, SiON, is typically used but an organic reflection-inhibiting film has also been used.
However, a suitable reflection-inhibiting film has not been developed for a photoresist pattern formation process using ArF (193 nm) radiation. To date, it is believed that an inorganic reflection-inhibiting film for controlling interference of a 193 nm wavelength (e.g., ArF light source) has not been disclosed. Currently, extensive efforts are directed to developing an organic substance that can be used as a reflection-inhibiting film.
The basic requirements for a conventional KrF organic reflection-inhibiting film are: first, the reflection-inhibiting film must not be dissolved or removed during the process by the solvent used in the photoresist composition. Therefore, the reflection-inhibiting film is designed to form a cross-linked structure without generating chemical substances.
Second, chemical substances, such as acids and bases (e.g., amines), must not migrate through the reflection-inhibiting film. When an acid migrates from the reflection-inhibiting film, a phenomenon known as “undercutting” takes place at the lower portion of the pattern. When a base such as an amine migrates, it may cause a “footing” phenomenon in the pattern.
Third, the reflection-inhibiting film must have higher etching speed than the photosensitive film above it so that the etching process can be performed smoothly using a photosensitive film as a mask.
Fourth, the reflection-inhibiting film must inhibit reflection with only a thin layer.
Accordingly, the present inventors have developed a resin for reflection-inhibiting film that satisfies all of the aforementioned requirements and can be used in a process for forming the photoresist pattern of a semiconductor device employing an ArF light source.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a resin for reflection-inhibiting films (also referred to as a polymer) that can inhibit reflection from a lower layer during an ArF light source mediated photoresist pattern formation step in a semiconductor fabrication process.
In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, there is provided a novel polymer comprising a phenyl group with high absorbency of 193 nm wavelength light and an epoxy group that enables cross-linkages to be formed during a hard baking step after the resin is coated on to the semiconductor wafer.
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Baik Ki Ho
Hong Sung Eun
Jung Jae Chang
Jung Min Ho
Kim Hyeong Soo
Hynix / Semiconductor Inc.
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
Zalukaeva Tatyana
LandOfFree
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