US 9,958,779 B2 · Photoresist additive for outgassing reduction and out-of-band radiation absorption

Abstract

A patternable layer is formed over a substrate. A photo-sensitive layer is formed over the patternable layer. The photo-sensitive layer contains an additive. The additive contains at least a floating control chemical and a volume control chemical. A spin drying or a baking process is performed to the photo-sensitive layer. The floating control chemical causes the additive to rise upward during the spin drying or baking process. Thereafter, as a part of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process, the photo-sensitive layer is exposed. One or more outgassing chemicals are generated inside the photo-sensitive layer during the exposing. The volume control chemical is sufficiently voluminous and dense to trap the outgassing chemicals inside the photo-sensitive layer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer over a substrate;
coating a photoresist over the layer, wherein the photoresist contains an additive and a solvent;
spin drying the photoresist, wherein the additive floats to an upper surface of the photoresist during the spin drying;
baking the photoresist after the spin drying, wherein the solvent evaporates out of the photoresist during the baking, thereby leaving the additive as a protective layer at or near the upper surface of the photoresist;
and
performing, after the baking, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography exposure process to the photoresist, the exposure process producing one or more photoresist outgassing products, wherein the additive at the upper surface of the photoresist prevents the one or more photoresist outgassing products from escaping the photoresist;
and
developing the photoresist after the performing of the exposure process.

5 more elements

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a patternable layer over a substrate;
forming a photo-sensitive layer over the patternable layer, wherein the photo-sensitive layer contains an additive and a solvent, wherein the additive comprises at least a floating control chemical and a volume control chemical, the volume control chemical causing the additive to have a greater density than a rest of the photo-sensitive layer;
spin drying the photo-sensitive layer, wherein the floating control chemical allows the additive to rise upward during the spin drying;
baking the photo-sensitive layer after the spin drying, wherein the solvent evaporates out of the photo-sensitive layer during the baking, thereby leaving the additive as a protective layer at or near an upper surface of the photo-sensitive layer;
exposing, after the baking and as a part of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process, the photo-sensitive layer, wherein one or more outgassing chemicals are generated inside the photo-sensitive layer during the exposing, and wherein the volume control chemical traps the outgassing chemicals inside the photo-sensitive layer during the exposing;
and
developing the photo-sensitive layer after the exposing.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Photoresist additive for outgassing reduction and out-of-band radiation absorption

Life of this patent

Photoresist additive for outgassing reduction and out-of-band radiation absorption

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20