Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Diazo reproduction – process – composition – or product – Composition or product which contains radiation sensitive...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-01
2004-04-27
Chu, John S. (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Diazo reproduction, process, composition, or product
Composition or product which contains radiation sensitive...
C430S270100, C430S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06727033
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a positive resist composition suitable for use in the production, for example, of semiconductor integrated circuit elements, masks for producing integrated circuits, printed circuit boards and liquid crystal panels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As positive resist compositions, chemically amplified resist composition as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,628 and European Patent 249,139 are known. The chemically amplified positive resist composition is a pattern formation material which generates an acid in an exposed area upon irradiation of radiation, for example, a far ultraviolet ray and due to a reaction using the acid as a catalyst, solubility in a developing solution differentiates in the area irradiated with the active radiation from the non-irradiated area to form a pattern on a substrate.
In general, the chemically amplified positive resist composition is roughly divided into three types, i.e., a three-component type, a two-component type and a hybrid type. The resist composition of three-component type comprises an alkali-soluble resin, a compound (hereinafter referred to as a “photo-acid generator” sometimes) that generates an acid upon irradiation of radiation and a dissolution inhibiting compound having an acid-decomposable group to the alkali-soluble resin. The resist composition of two-component type comprises a resin having a group capable of being decomposed by a reaction with an acid to become alkali-soluble and a photo-acid generator. The resist composition of hybrid type comprises a resin having a group capable of being decomposed by a reaction with an acid to become alkali-soluble, a low molecular weight dissolution inhibiting compound having an acid-decomposable group and a photo-acid generator.
Various techniques for improving performances are known wherein two or more resins, which are decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution (hereinafter referred to as “acid-decomposable resin” sometimes) are used in combination in the chemically amplified positive resist compositions.
However, these techniques still have a problem in a performance of a linewidth variation rate caused by fluctuation of thickness of a resist film on a highly reflective substrate having irregularities (for example, bare silicon substrate or polysilicon substrate).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a chemically amplified positive resist composition in which the linewidth variation rate is small and which exhibits good performances without real damage even when provided on the highly reflective substrate having irregularities.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
As a result of the intensive investigations on the chemically amplified positive resist compositions, it has been found that the objects of the present invention are accomplished by the positive resist composition comprising two kinds of resins having acid-decomposable groups of specific structures to complete the present invention.
The positive resist composition of the present invention includes the following constructions.
(1) A positive resist composition comprising: (a) a resin (A), which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution, containing a structural unit including a group represented by formula (X) shown below and/or a resin (B), which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution, containing a structural unit including a group represented by formula (Y) shown below, and a resin (C), which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution, containing a structural unit including a group represented by formula (Q) shown below; and (b) a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation of an actinic ray or radiation.
In formula (X), R
1
and R
2
, which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may have a substituent; m represents an integer of from 1 to 20; and Z
1
represents
In the formulae above, R
3
represents an alkyl group which may have a substituent, an aryl group which may have a substituent or an aralkyl group which may have a substituent; and n represents an integer of from 0 to 5,
In formula (Y), R
4
represents an alkyl group,
In formula (Q), R
5
and R
6
, which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; X represents an alkylene group which may have a substituent; Y represents a divalent connecting group; Z
2
represents a heterocyclic group which may have a substituent; and 1 represents 0 or 1.
(2) The positive resist composition as described in item (1) above, wherein the compound that generates an acid upon irradiation of an actinic ray or radiation of component (b) is a compound having a sulfonium salt structure or a compound having a diazodisulfone structure.
(3) The positive resist composition as described in item (1) above, wherein the compound that generates an acid upon irradiation of an actinic ray or radiation of component (b) is a combination of a compound having a sulfonium salt structure and a compound having a diazodisulfone structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The positive resist composition of the present invention will be described in more detail below.
(a-1) Resin (A), which is decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developing solution, containing a structural unit including a group represented by formula (X) described above:
In formula (X), R
1
and R
2
, which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may have a substituent, and m represents an integer of from 1 to 20.
The alkyl group represented by R
1
or R
2
may be a straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group.
The straight chain alkyl group has preferably from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and includes, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, n-heptyl, n-octyl, n-nonyl and n-decyl groups.
The branched alkyl group has preferably from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably from −3 to 20 carbon atoms, and includes, for example, isopropyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, isopentyl, tert-pentyl, isohexyl, tert-hexyl, isoheptyl, tert-heptyl, isooctyl, tert-octyl, isononyl and tert-decyl groups.
The cyclic alkyl group has preferably from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and includes, for example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclononyl and cyclodecyl groups.
In the groups represented by Z
1
, R
3
represents an alkyl group which may have a substituent, an aryl group which may have a substituent or an aralkyl group which may have a substituent. The alkyl group may be a straight chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group. n represents an integer of from 0 to 5.
The straight chain or branched alkyl group represented by R
3
has preferably up to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably up to 20 carbon atoms, and includes, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, tert-pentyl, n-hexyl, isohexyl, tert-hexyl, n-heptyl, isoheptyl, tert-heptyl, n-octyl, isooctyl, tert-octyl, n-nonyl, isononyl, tert-nonyl, n-decyl, isodecyl, tert-decyl, n-undecyl, isoundecyl, n-dodecyl, isododecyl, n-tridecyl, isotridecyl, n-tetradecyl, isotetradecyl, n-pentadecyl, isopentadecyl, n-hexadecyl, isohexadecyl, n-heptadecyl, isoheptadecyl, n-octadecyl, isooctadecyl, n-nonadecyl and isononadecyl groups.
The cyclic alkyl group represented by R
3
has preferably from 3 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably from 3 to 20 carbon atoms. The cyclic alkyl group may be a cycloalkyl group including a ring containing up to 20 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl group having a substituent. The cyclic alkyl group includes, for example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohex
Fujimori Toru
Nishiyama Fumiyuki
Chu John S.
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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