Resist material and method for forming semiconductor structure using resist layer

A method for forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:

• forming a resist layer over a substrate, wherein the resist layer is made of a resist material comprising:
• a photosensitive polymer having a main chain and protected functional groups bound to the main chain;
• and
• a crosslinking contrast promoter having a core structure and a first side chain structure and a second side chain structure bound to the core structure,
• exposing a first portion of the resist layer by performing an exposure process, wherein the protected functional groups in the first portion of the resist layer are converted to deprotected functional groups, and a functional group on the second side chain structure of the crosslinking contrast promoter in the first portion of the resist layer reacts with the deprotected functional groups of the photosensitive polymer to form a cross-linking structure;
• and
• developing the resist layer in a developer,
• wherein the protected functional groups are different from the crosslinking contrast promoter, and the first side chain structure is covalently bound to the main chain of the photosensitive polymer before the exposure process is performed, and
• wherein the second side chain structure comprises C10-C20 alkenyl group or C10-C20 alkynyl group, and the functional group at the end of the second side chain structure of the crosslinking contrast promoter is an alkoxy group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, a thiol group, a carboxyl group, an ester group, an epoxy group, an aziridine group, a halogen group, an amide group, or an anhydride group.

A resist material used in a lithography process, comprising:

• a photosensitive polymer having acid labile functional groups, wherein the acid labile functional groups are configured to convert to acid groups in an acidic condition;
• and
• a crosslinking contrast promoter comprises a core structure and a first side chain structure and a second side chain structure bound to the core structure, wherein the first side chain structure is bonded to a main chain of the photosensitive polymer and a functional group at an end of the second side chain structure of the crosslinking contrast promoter is configured to interact with the acid group of the photosensitive polymer in an acidic condition,
• wherein the second side chain structure comprises C10-C20 alkenyl group or C10-C20 alkynyl group, and the functional group at the end of the second side chain structure of the crosslinking contrast promoter is an alkoxy group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, a thiol group, a carboxyl group, an ester group, an epoxy group, an aziridine group, a halogen group, an amide group, or an anhydride group.