US 2026/0288007 A1Published application

Non-pfas-containing surfactant compositions

OwnerDaniel Patrick Sweatinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

Minimizing total thickness variation in a spin-coated film often requires the use of a component that is, or behaves as, a surfactant, particularly as the thickness of the film increases to hundreds of nanometers and beyond. Currently, many commercially important surfactants used to improve coat quality are considered PFAS materials and are being phased out of materials. A set of new PFAS-free surfactants has been synthesized and tested for efficacy in improving coat quality. The surfactants comprise a central core molecule grafted with at least two recurring monomers that are different from the central core.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A method of forming a structure, said method comprising applying a composition on a surface of a substrate, or on one or more intermediate layers optionally present on said surface of said substrate, to form a layer of that composition, said composition comprising a star macromolecule dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, wherein:

said star macromolecule comprises a central core and at least two arms radiating from said central core, said at least two arms each comprising at least two recurring monomers that are different from said central core;
said central core is hydrophobic or hydrophilic and
if said central core is hydrophobic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophilic;
and
if said central core is hydrophilic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophobic;
and
at least one of (I), (II), (III), (IV), or (V) is true:
(I) said layer comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon, and further comprising:
forming a hardmask layer on said layer;
optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(II) one or more intermediate layers are present and include an uppermost intermediate layer that comprises a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon, and further comprising:
optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer;
and
forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer, if present, or on said layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(III) further comprising:
(b) (i) forming a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon on said layer;
(ii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said carbon-rich layer;
and
(iii) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said carbon-rich layer, if present, or on said carbon-rich layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(b) (i) forming a hardmask layer on said layer;
(ii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
(iii) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
or
(c) (i) forming a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon on said layer;
(ii) forming a hardmask layer on said carbon-rich layer;
(iii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
(iv) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(IV) said surface of said substrate comprises a pattern comprising a plurality of gaps, and said applying a composition comprises depositing said composition in at least some of said gaps;
or
(V) said one or more intermediate layers are present and include one or both of a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon or a hardmask layer, and further comprising forming a photoresist layer on said layer.

31 more elements

A microelectronic structure comprising:

a substrate having a surface, there being one or more intermediate layers optionally present on said surface of said substrate;
a layer on said surface of said substrate, or on said one or more intermediate layers if present, said layer comprising a star macromolecule that comprises a central core and at least two arms radiating from said central core, said at least two arms each comprising at least two recurring monomers that are different from said central core, wherein:
said central core is hydrophobic or hydrophilic;
if said central core is hydrophobic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophilic;
and
if said central core is hydrophilic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophobic;
and
at least one of (I), (II), (III), (IV), or (V) is true:
(I) said layer comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon;
a hardmask layer is on said layer;
one or more additional intermediate layers are optionally on said hardmask layer;
and
a photoresist layer is on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(II) one or more intermediate layers are present on said surface of said substrate and include an uppermost intermediate layer that comprises a carbon-rich layer comprising about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon;
optionally one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer;
and
a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer, if present, or on said layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(III) further comprising:
(b) (i) a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon is on said layer;
(ii) one or more additional intermediate layers are optionally on said carbon-rich layer;
and
(iii) a photoresist layer is on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said carbon-rich layer, if present, or on said carbon-rich layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(b) (i) a hardmask layer on said layer;
(ii) one or more additional intermediate layers are optionally on said hardmask layer;
and
(iii) a photoresist layer is on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
or
(c) (i) a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon on said layer;
(ii) a hardmask layer on said carbon-rich layer;
(iii) one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
(iv) a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(IV) said surface of said substrate comprises a pattern comprising a plurality of gaps, and said layer is present in at least some of said gaps;
or
(V) said one or more intermediate layers are present on said surface of said substrate and include one or both of a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon or a hardmask layer, and further comprising forming a photoresist layer on said layer.

32 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

said star macromolecule comprises a central core and at least two arms radiating from said central core, said at least two arms each comprising at least two recurring monomers that are different from said central core;
said central core is hydrophobic or hydrophilic and
if said central core is hydrophobic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophilic;
and
if said central core is hydrophilic, said at least two recurring monomers are hydrophobic;
and
at least one of (I), (II), (III), (IV), or (V) is true:
(I) said layer comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon, and further comprising:
forming a hardmask layer on said layer;
optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(II) one or more intermediate layers are present and include an uppermost intermediate layer that comprises a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon, and further comprising:
optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer;
and
forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said layer, if present, or on said layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(III) further comprising:
(b) (i) forming a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon on said layer;
(ii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said carbon-rich layer;
and
(iii) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said carbon-rich layer, if present, or on said carbon-rich layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(b) (i) forming a hardmask layer on said layer;
(ii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
(iii) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
or
(c) (i) forming a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon on said layer;
(ii) forming a hardmask layer on said carbon-rich layer;
(iii) optionally forming one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer;
and
(iv) forming a photoresist layer on said one or more additional intermediate layers on said hardmask layer, if present, or on said hardmask layer if no additional intermediate layer is present;
(IV) said surface of said substrate comprises a pattern comprising a plurality of gaps, and said applying a composition comprises depositing said composition in at least some of said gaps;
or
(V) said one or more intermediate layers are present and include one or both of a carbon-rich layer that comprises about 50% by weight to about 99% by weight carbon or a hardmask layer, and further comprising forming a photoresist layer on said layer.

31 more elements