Topcoat compositions and pattern-forming methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10042259-B2
Application number	US-201715730876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 31, 2016
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Topcoat compositions comprise: a matrix polymer; a surface active polymer comprising a polymerized unit formed from a monomer of the following general formula (I):

wherein: R 1 represents H, F, methyl or fluorinated methyl; R 2 represents optionally substituted C1 to C8 alkylene or optionally substituted C1 to C8 fluoroalkylene, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; R 3 represents H, F, optionally substituted C1 to C10 alkyl or optionally substituted C5 to C15 aryl, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; R 4 represents optionally substituted C1 to C8 alkyl, optionally substituted C1 to C8 fluoroalkyl or optionally substituted C5 to C15 aryl, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; X represents O, S or NR 5 , wherein R 5 is chosen from hydrogen and optionally substituted C1 to C5 alkyl; and a is 0 or 1; and a solvent. Also provided are coated substrates and pattern-forming methods which make use of the topcoat compositions. The invention has particular applicability in photolithographic processes as a photoresist topcoat layer in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A topcoat composition, comprising:
a matrix polymer;
a surface active polymer comprising a polymerized unit formed from a monomer of the following general formula (I):

 wherein: R 1 represents H, F, methyl, or fluorinated methyl; R 2 represents optionally substituted C1 to C8 alkylene or optionally substituted C1 to C8 fluoroalkylene, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; R 3 represents H, F, optionally substituted C1 to C10 alkyl or optionally substituted C5 to C15 aryl, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; R 4 represents optionally substituted C1 to C8 alkyl, optionally substituted C1 to C8 fluoroalkyl or optionally substituted C5 to C15 aryl, optionally comprising one or more heteroatom; X represents O, S, or NR 5 , wherein R 5 is chosen from hydrogen and optionally substituted C1 to C5 alkyl; and a is 0 or 1; and
a solvent.

2. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein a is 0.

3. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein a is 1.

4. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein R 4 represents C1 to C8 fluoroalkyl.

5. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the surface active polymer further comprises a polymerized unit formed from a monomer comprising a base labile group, an acid labile group, or a combination thereof.

6. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the topcoat composition is free of photoacid generators.

7. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , further comprising a photoacid generator.

8. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the surface active polymer is present in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt % based on total solids of the topcoat composition.

9. A coated substrate, comprising:
a photoresist layer on a substrate; and
a topcoat layer formed from a topcoat composition of claim 1 over the photoresist layer.

10. A pattern-forming method, comprising:
(a) forming a photoresist layer over a substrate;
(b) forming a topcoat layer over the photoresist layer, wherein the topcoat layer is formed from a topcoat composition of any of claim 1 ;
(c) exposing the topcoat layer and the photoresist layer to activating radiation; and
(d) contacting the exposed topcoat layer and photoresist layer with a developer to form a photoresist pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the exposing is conducted by immersion lithography.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a is 0.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein a is 1.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein R 4 represents C1 to C8 fluoroalkyl.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the surface active polymer further comprises a polymerized unit formed from a monomer comprising a base labile group, an acid labile group, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the topcoat composition is free of photoacid generators.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a photoacid generator.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the surface active polymer is present in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt % based on total solids of the topcoat composition.

Assignees

• Rohm & Haas Elect Mat

Inventors

• Kaur Irvinder
• Liu Cong
• Kang Doris
• Li Mingqi
• Wang Deyan
• Zhou Huaxing

Classifications

• H10P76/2041

  Photolithographic processes · CPC title

• C08F120/54

  Amides {, e.g. N,N-dimethylacrylamide or N-isopropylacrylamide} · CPC title

• C09D133/14

  of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen · CPC title

• C08F120/58

  containing oxygen in addition to the carbonamido oxygen {, e.g. N-methylolacrylamide, N-acryloyl morpholine} · CPC title

• C09D133/24

  Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides · CPC title