Topcoat compositions containing fluorinated thermal acid generators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10241411-B2
Application number	US-201715730870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 31, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

Provided are topcoat compositions that include: a matrix polymer; a surface active polymer; an ionic thermal acid generator comprising an anion and a cation, wherein the anion, the cation, or the anion and the cation are fluorinated; 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;
an ionic thermal acid generator comprising an anion and a cation, wherein the anion, the cation, or the anion and the cation are fluorinated; and
a solvent.

2. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the anion is fluorinated.

3. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the cation is fluorinated.

4. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the anion is polycyclic.

5. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the ionic thermal acid generator comprises a fluorinated alcohol group comprising a fluorine atom bonded to a carbon at the alpha position of the hydroxyl group and/or or a fluorinated group bonded pendant to a carbon at the alpha position of the hydroxyl group.

6. The topcoat composition of claim 5 , wherein the fluorinated alcohol group is bonded to an aromatic ring of the anion through an ester group.

7. The topcoat composition of claim 6 , wherein the anion comprises a plurality of fluorinated alcohol groups bonded to the aromatic ring through a respective ester group.

8. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the ionic thermal acid generator comprises a nitrogen-containing cation.

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

10. The topcoat composition of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises a mixture of organic solvents comprising a first organic solvent having a boiling point of from 120 to 140° C., a second organic solvent having a boiling point of from 140 to 180° C. and a third organic solvent having a boiling point of from 170 to 200° C.

11. A coated substrate, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a photoresist layer over the semiconductor substrate; and a topcoat layer over the photoresist layer, wherein the topcoat layer is formed from a topcoat composition of claim 1 .

12. 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 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.

13. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , wherein the anion is fluorinated.

14. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , wherein the cation is fluorinated.

15. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , wherein the anion is polycyclic.

16. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , wherein the ionic thermal acid generator comprises a fluorinated alcohol group comprising a fluorine atom bonded to a carbon at the alpha position of the hydroxyl group and/or or a fluorinated group bonded pendant to a carbon at the alpha position of the hydroxyl group.

17. The pattern-forming method of claim 16 , wherein the fluorinated alcohol group is bonded to an aromatic ring of the anion through an ester group.

18. The pattern-forming method of claim 17 , wherein the anion comprises a plurality of fluorinated alcohol groups bonded to the aromatic ring through a respective ester group.

19. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , wherein the ionic thermal acid generator comprises a nitrogen-containing cation.

20. The pattern-forming method of claim 12 , further comprising a photoacid generator.

Assignees

• Rohm & Haas Elect Mat

Inventors

• Kaur Irvinder
• Kang Doris
• Liu Cong
• Pohlers Gerhard
• Li Mingqi

Classifications

• H10P76/2041

  Photolithographic processes · CPC title

• G03F7/2041

  in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means · CPC title

• G03F7/16

  Coating processes; Apparatus therefor (applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74) · CPC title

• G03F7/11 Primary

  having cover layers or intermediate layers, e.g. subbing layers {(G03F7/091 - G03F7/093, B41N3/03 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G03F7/327

  Non-aqueous alkaline compositions, e.g. anhydrous quaternary ammonium salts · CPC title