US2016363868A1PendingUtilityA1

Line pattern collapse mitigation through gap-fill material application

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Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LTDPriority: Feb 21, 2010Filed: Jul 29, 2016Published: Dec 15, 2016
Est. expiryFeb 21, 2030(~3.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mark H. SomervellBenjamen M. RathsackIan J. BrownSteven ScheerJoshua Hooge
G03F 7/405G03F 7/40G03F 7/30G03F 7/0384G03F 7/2024G03F 7/038G03F 7/38
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Claims

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigation of photoresist line pattern collapse in a photolithography process by applying a gap-fill material treatment after the post-development line pattern rinse step. The gap-fill material dries into a solid layer filling the inter-line spaces of the line pattern, thereby preventing line pattern collapse due to capillary forces during the post-rinse line pattern drying step. Once dried, the gap-fill material is depolymerized, volatilized, and removed from the line pattern by heating, illumination with ultraviolet light, by application of a catalyst chemistry, or by plasma etching.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chemical composition of a gap-fill treatment liquid comprising:
 at least one polymer compound from the group consisting of poly(phthalaldehyde), poly(succinaldehyde), poly(allyl alcohol), poly(glyoxylic acid), poly(methyl glyoxylic acid), a polymeric salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid), poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid), a polymeric salt of poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid), poly(methyl glyoxylate), and poly(ethyl glyoxylate),   wherein the gap-fill treatment liquid depolymerizes into volatile compounds on exposure to at least one depolymerizing agent from the group consisting of heat, electromagnetic radiation, and a catalyst.   
     
     
         2 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises infrared radiation. 
     
     
         3 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises visible light radiation. 
     
     
         4 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises an acid. 
     
     
         6 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the exposure of the gap-fill treatment liquid to heat comprises heating the gap-fill treatment liquid to a temperature between 30° C. and 200° C. 
     
     
         7 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the exposure of the gap-fill treatment liquid to heat comprises heating the gap-fill treatment liquid to a temperature between 50° C. and 150° C. 
     
     
         8 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the gap-fill treatment liquid comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         9 . The chemical composition of  claim 8 , wherein the solvent comprises water. 
     
     
         10 . The chemical composition of  claim 8 , wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
         11 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid) is an ammonium salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid). 
     
     
         12 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid) is a sodium salt of poly(methyl glyoxylic acid). 
     
     
         13 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric salt of poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid) is an ammonium salt of poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid). 
     
     
         14 . The chemical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric salt of poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid) is a sodium salt of poly(ethyl glyoxylic acid).

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