# US 2025/0093784 A1 · Apparatus and method for assessing photoresist rinse solution

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- Number: US 2025/0093784 A1
- Document ID: US20250093784A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/652,444
- Filed: 2024-05-01
- Published: 2025-03-20
- Earliest claimed: 2023-09-15
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: DAIKI MINAMI; JINJOO KIM; HYUNJI SONG; JI YOUNG PARK; SEUNGYEOL BAEK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250093784A1

## CPC

- G03F 7/705: {Modelling or simulating from physical phenomena up to complete wafer processes or whole workflow in wafer productions}
- G03F 7/40: Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
- G03F 7/70508: {Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus}
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a processor, a memory electrically connected to the processor and that stores instructions, and a storage unit that stores a photoresist molecular model, a surfactant molecular model, an additive molecular model and a solvent molecular model. The processor is configured by the instructions to perform a molecular dynamics simulation of a cell in which are placed photoresist molecules based on the photoresist molecular model, surfactant molecules based on the surfactant molecular model, additive molecules based on the additive molecular model, and solvent molecules based on the solvent molecular model, and compute a number of first surfactant molecules located in the cell in a vicinity of an interface between a photoresist pattern that includes the photoresist molecules and a solvent that includes the solvent molecules, and a number of second surfactant molecules located in the cell in a vicinity of a surface of the solvent.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for assessing a photoresist rinse solution, the apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a memory electrically connected to the processor and that stores instructions performed by the processor; and
a storage unit that stores a photoresist molecular model, a surfactant molecular model, an additive molecular model, and a solvent molecular model,
wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
perform a molecular dynamics simulation of a cell in which are placed photoresist molecules based on the photoresist molecular model, surfactant molecules based on the surfactant molecular model, additive molecules based on the additive molecular model, and solvent molecules based on the solvent molecular model; and
compute a number of first surfactant molecules located in the cell in a vicinity of an interface between a photoresist pattern that includes the photoresist molecules and a solvent that includes the solvent molecules, and a number of second surfactant molecules located in the cell in a vicinity of a surface of the solvent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
calculate partial charges of the photoresist molecules, the surfactant molecules, the additive molecules, and the solvent molecules, and perform a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell based on the partial charges.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
place the photoresist molecules based on the photoresist molecular model in an interior of the cell, and form the photoresist pattern based on the photoresist molecules; and
place the surfactant molecules and the additive molecules based on the surfactant molecular model and the additive molecular model, respectively, together with the solvent molecules in the interior of the cell.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
perform a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell with an isothermal-isobaric (NPT) ensemble with reference to a preset density in relation to a density of the photoresist pattern.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
perform a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell with a canonical (NVT) ensemble based on the photoresist pattern, until a density of which reaches a preset density condition.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
compute a ratio of the number of second surfactant molecules to the number of first surfactant molecules.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
compare surfactant content ratios based on different kinds of surfactant molecular models or different kinds of additive molecular models.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured by the instructions to:
compare the surfactant content ratio with a preset reference, wherein the reference is based on a number of first PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances) molecules located between the interface between the solvent and the photoresist pattern, and a number of second PFAS molecules located on the surface of the solvent.

### Claim 9

A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
performing a molecular dynamics simulation of a cell in which are placed photoresist molecules, surfactant molecules, additive molecules, and solvent molecules; and
assessing a number of first surfactant molecules located on an interface between a photoresist pattern based on the photoresist molecules and a solvent based on the solvent molecules, and a number of second surfactant molecules located on a surface of the solvent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
calculating partial charges of the photoresist molecules, the surfactant molecules, the additive molecules, and the solvent molecules, and performing a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell based on the partial charges.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
placing the photoresist molecules based on a photoresist molecular model in an interior of the cell, and generating the photoresist pattern based on the photoresist molecules; and
placing the surfactant molecules and the additive molecules based on a surfactant molecular model and an additive molecular model, respectively, together with the solvent molecules in the interior of the cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, comprising:
performing a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell with an isothermal-isobaric (NPT) ensemble with reference to a preset density in relation to a density of the photoresist pattern.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, comprising:
separating the surfactant molecules and the additive molecules from the photoresist pattern, together with the solvent molecules when the density of the photoresist pattern reaches a preset density condition, and
placing the separated surfactant molecules, the separated additive molecules, and the separated solvent molecules in the interior of the cell.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein performing the molecular dynamics simulation of the cell includes:
performing a molecular dynamics simulation of the cell with a canonical (NVT) ensemble based on the photoresist pattern until a density of which reaches a preset density condition.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising:
determining a ratio of the number of second surfactant molecules to the number of first surfactant molecules.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
comparing a surfactant content ratio based on different kinds of surfactant molecules or different kinds of additive molecules.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, comprising:
comparing surfactant content ratios with a preset reference.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the reference is based on a number of first PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances) molecules located between an interface between the solvent and the photoresist pattern, and a number of second PFAS molecules located on a surface of the solvent.

### Claim 19

A method for simulating a lithography process that is performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
receiving a mask layout and a lithography model;
simulating a photoresist pattern on a wafer based on the mask layout and the lithography model;
simulating a deionized water washing process on the photoresist pattern;
simulating a rinse process on the photoresist pattern; and
acquiring surface structure data on one area of the wafer based on the photoresist pattern on which the rinse process is simulated and the lithography model, wherein simulating the rinse process includes:
forming a cell that includes photoresist molecules based on the photoresist pattern, placing surfactant molecules, additive molecules, and solvent molecules in the cell, and performing a molecule dynamics simulation of the cell; and
simulating a change in the photoresist pattern based on a number of first surfactant molecules located on an interface between a photoresist pattern based on the photoresist molecules and a solvent based on the solvent molecules, and a number of second surfactant molecules located on a surface of the solvent.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, comprising:
simulating a change in the photoresist pattern based on different kinds of surfactant molecules or different kinds of additive molecules.