Method to provide a patterned orientation template for a self-assemblable polymer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240250-B2
Application number	US-201214345891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2012
Priority date	Oct 3, 2011
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A graphoepitaxy template to align a self-assembled block polymer adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array having parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a first axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal second axis, and separated by a continuous second domain. The graphoepitaxy template has first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the first axis and mutually spaced along the second axis to provide a compartment to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains of the self-assembled block copolymer on the substrate between and parallel to the side walls, and separated therefrom by a continuous second domain. The compartment has a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment. Methods for forming the graphoepitaxy template and its use for device lithography are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A graphoepitaxy template on a substrate, to align a self-assembled block polymer on a surface of the substrate, wherein the block copolymer is adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array comprising parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a Cartesian y axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal Cartesian x axis, and separated by a continuous second domain, the graphoepitaxy template comprising:
first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the y axis and mutually spaced along the x axis to provide a compartment adapted to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains on the substrate between and parallel to the first and second side walls, and separated therefrom by the continuous second domain,
wherein the compartment comprises a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment, the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprising (i) a plurality of alcoves in the first side wall and/or second side wall, the alcoves being recesses in a same surface of the first side wall and/or of the second side wall such that portions of the respective first side wall and/or second wall that are substantially parallel to the other of the first side wall and/or second wall extend on opposite sides of at least one of the recesses, or (ii) a buttress extending into the compartment from the first side wall but not reaching the second side wall, or (iii) a pillar within the compartment, extending out from the surface of the substrate and spaced from the first and second side walls, or (iv) a discontinuity between first and second parallel side wall portions of the first sidewall that are offset relative to each other along the x axis, or (v) any combination selected from (i)-(iv).

2. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 1 , wherein the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprises the alcoves in the first side wall and/or second side wall.

3. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 2 , wherein each of the alcoves is shaped to hold at least one discontinuous first domain therein.

4. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 1 , wherein the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprises the buttress extending into the compartment from the first side wall.

5. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 4 , wherein the buttress extends across the compartment towards the second side wall to provide a partition wall extending across the compartment save for a gap between the buttress and the second side wall.

6. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 4 , wherein the buttress is shaped to engage with the 2-D array such that the buttress replaces one or more discontinuous first domains of the 2-D array.

7. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 4 , wherein the buttress comprises a straight section where it joins the first sidewall such that an angle of between 60° and 80° is formed between the straight section of the buttress and the first sidewall.

8. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 4 , wherein the buttress comprises a further graphoepitaxial nucleation feature.

9. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 1 , wherein the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprises the discontinuity between first and second parallel side wall portions of the first sidewall that are offset relative to each other along the x axis.

10. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 9 , wherein the first and second parallel side wall portions are offset by N·L x measured along the x axis, where N is an integer and L x is a pitch of the parallel rows of the 2-D array along the x-axis.

11. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 1 , wherein the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprises the pillar within the compartment, extending out from the surface of the substrate and spaced from the first and second side walls.

12. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 11 , wherein the pillar is shaped and positioned to engage with the 2-D array such that the pillar replaces one or more discontinuous first domains of the 2-D array.

13. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 11 , wherein the pillar comprises a further graphoepitaxial nucleation feature.

14. The graphoepitaxy template of claim 1 , wherein the graphoepitaxy template is of hydrogen silsesquioxane.

15. A method of preparing a surface of a substrate for deposition of a self-assemblable block copolymer thereon, the method comprising:
forming a graphoepitaxy template on the surface of the substrate, the graphoepitaxy template configured to align a self-assembled block polymer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the block copolymer is adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array comprising parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a Cartesian y axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal Cartesian x axis, and separated by a continuous second domain, the graphoepitaxy template comprising:
first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the y axis and mutually spaced along the x axis to provide a compartment adapted to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains on the substrate between and parallel to the first and second side walls, and separated therefrom by the continuous second domain,
wherein the compartment comprises a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment, the graphoepitaxial nucleation feature comprising (i) a plurality of alcoves in the first side wall and/or second side wall, the alcoves being recesses in a same surface of the first side wall and/or of the second side wall such that portions of the respective first side wall and/or second wall that are substantially parallel to the other of the first side wall and/or second wall extend on opposite sides of at least one of the recesses, or (ii) a buttress extending into the compartment from the first side wall but not reaching the second side wall, or (iii) a pillar within the compartment, extending out from the surface of the substrate and spaced from the first and second side walls, or (iv) a discontinuity between first and second parallel side wall portions of the first sidewall that are offset relative to each other along the x axis, or (v) any combination selected from (i)-(iv).

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second side walls of the graphoepitaxy template are provided on the substrate by:
applying a resist layer to the surface,
selectively exposing the resist layer to actinic radiation to provide exposed and unexposed regions of resist layer, and
removing the exposed resist region or the unexposed resist region with a developer to provide the surface having resist features of the remaining resist region thereon,
wherein the resist features form the first and second side walls of the graphoepitaxy template.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second side walls of the graphoepitaxy template are provided on the substrate by:
applying a resist layer to the surface,
making a first selective exposure of the resist layer to actinic radiation to provide first exposed regions of resist layer,
making a second selective exposure of the resist layer to actinic radiation to provide second exposed regions of resist layer, wherein the second exposed regions partially overlap with the first exposed regions, and wherein regions of the resist layer remain unexposed in both the first and second selective exposures, and
removing the unexposed resist regions with a developer to

Assignees

• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Nguyen Thanh Trung
• Finders Jozef Maria
• Ketelaars Wilhelmus Sebastianus Marcus Maria
• Wuister Sander Frederik
• Van Der Heijden Eddy Cornelis Antonius
• Meessen Hieronymus Johannus Christiaan
• Koole Roelof
• Peeters Emiel
• Van Heesch Christianus Martinus
• Brizard Aurelie Marie Andree
• Boots Henri Marie Joseph
• Druzhinina Tamara
• De Ruiter Jessica Margaretha

Classifications

• H10P76/4085

  characterised by the processes involved to create the masks · CPC title

• B81C2201/0149

  Forming nanoscale microstructures using auto-arranging or self-assembling material · CPC title

• C30B1/12 Primary

  by pressure treatment during the growth · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• G03F7/0002

  Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping · CPC title