Shin-etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

Shin-etsu Chemical C., Ltd

Takeshi Nagata

Jun Hatakeyama

Shigehiro Nagura

Youichi Ohsawa

Koji Hasegawa

Satoshi Watanabe

Toshinobu Ishihara

Tomohiro Kobayashi

Jun Watanabe

Chuanwen Lin

Tsutomu Ogihara

Takeru Watanabe

Tsunehiro Nishi

Daisuke Kori

Kiyoshi Motomi

Takeshi Kinsho

Osamu Watanabe

Seiichiro Tachibana

Masayoshi Sagehashi

Takanobu Takeda

Kazunori Maeda

Ryosuke Taniguchi

Toshiharu Yano

Wataru Kusaki

Ryo Mitsui

Taku Morisawa

Naoki Kobayashi

Shun Kikuchi

A positive resist composition is provided comprising (A) an acid generator in the form of a sulfonium salt consisting of a fluorine-containing sulfonate anion and a fluorine-containing sulfonium cation, (B) a quencher in the form of a sulfonium salt containing at least two fluorine atoms in its cation or containing at least 5 fluorine atoms in its anion and cation, and (C) a base polymer comprising repeat units (a1) having a carboxy group whose hydrogen is substituted by an acid labile group and/or repeat units (a2) having a phenolic hydroxy group whose hydrogen is substituted by an acid labile group. The resist composition exhibits a high sensitivity, high resolution and improved LWR or CDU.

Positive resist composition and patterning process

A chemically amplified resist composition is provided comprising an acid generator and a quencher comprising a salt compound consisting of a nitrogen-containing cation and a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propoxide anion having a trifluoromethyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl or hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl group bonded thereto. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Chemically amplified resist composition and patterning process

A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer and a quencher comprising a salt compound obtained from a nitrogen-containing compound having an iodized aromatic ring bonded to the nitrogen atom via a C-Chydrocarbon group and a compound having a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol group. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Resist composition and patterning process

A cleaning and drying method of a semiconductor substrate capable of suppressing collapse or breakdown of a pattern which occur at the time of drying a cleaning solution after cleaning the substrate and decomposition of a resin at a bottom of the pattern, and capable of removing the cleaning solution with good efficiency without using a specific device.

Method of cleaning and drying semiconductor substrate

The invention provides a process for forming a multi-layer film including the steps of: (1) forming an under layer film onto a substrate by coating an under layer film material containing a resin represented by the following general formula (1) in which a compound having a bisnaphthol group has been made a novolac resin, and curing the same by heat treatment at a temperature in a range of 300&#xb0; C. or higher and 700&#xb0; C. or lower for 10 seconds to 600 seconds, (2) forming a silicon film onto the under layer film, (3) forming a hydrocarbon film onto the silicon film by coating a hydrocarbon film material, and (4) forming a silicon-oxidized film onto the hydrocarbon film by coating a silicon-oxidized film material. There can be provided a process for forming a multi-layer film which can reduce reflectance, and useful for a patterning process with high dimensional accuracy of dry etching. 

Process for forming multi-layer film and patterning process

The present invention provides a method for cleaning and drying a semiconductor substrate in which a semiconductor substrate onto which a pattern has been formed is cleaned and dried, which comprises steps of (1) cleaning the semiconductor substrate onto which a pattern has been formed with a cleaning solution, (2) substituting the cleaning solution with a composition solution containing a resin (A) which is decomposed by either or both of an acid and heat, and (3) decomposing and removing the resin (A) by either or both of an acid and heat. There can be provided a method for cleaning and drying a semiconductor substrate in which pattern falling or collapse occurring at the time of drying the cleaning solution after cleaning the substrate can be suppressed, and the cleaning solution can be efficiently removed, without using a specific apparatus which handles a supercritical state cleaning solution.

Method for cleaning and drying semiconductor substrate

The invention provides an acetal compound containing an adamantane ring having an alcoholic hydroxyl group which is protected with an acetal group having a carbonyl moiety of branched structure. A photoresist film comprising a polymer comprising recurring units derived from the acetal compound and an acid generator is characterized by a high dissolution contrast when it is subjected to exposure and organic solvent development to form an image via positive/negative reversal.

Acetal compound, polymer, resist composition, and patterning process

A positive resist composition based on a polymer comprising recurring units of (meth)acrylate having a cyclic acid labile group and a dihydroxynaphthalene novolak resin, and containing a photoacid generator is improved in resolution, step coverage and adhesion on a highly reflective stepped substrate, has high resolution, and forms a pattern of good profile and minimal edge roughness through exposure and development.

A negative pattern is formed by applying a resist composition onto a substrate, baking, exposing to high-energy radiation, baking (PEB), and developing the exposed resist film in an organic solvent developer to selectively dissolve the unexposed region of resist film. The resist composition comprising a hydrogenated ROMP polymer and a (meth)acrylate resin displays a high dissolution contrast in organic solvent development, and exhibits high dry etch resistance even when the acid labile group is deprotected through exposure and PEB.

Patterning process

A chemically amplified resist composition is provided comprising (A) a specific tertiary amine compound, (B) a specific acid generator, (C) a base resin having an acidic functional group protected with an acid labile group, which is substantially insoluble in alkaline developer and turns soluble in alkaline developer upon deprotection of the acid labile group, and (D) an organic solvent. The resist composition has a high resolution, improved defect control in the immersion lithography, and good shelf stability.

A pattern is formed by coating a resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having an optionally acid labile group-substituted naphthol group, an acid generator, and an organic solvent onto a substrate, baking to form a resist film, exposing the resist film to high-energy radiation, baking, and developing the exposed film with an organic solvent developer to form a negative pattern wherein the unexposed region of film is dissolved and the exposed region of film is not dissolved. In the process of image formation via positive/negative reversal by organic solvent development, the resist film has a high dissolution contrast and controlled acid diffusion. By subjecting the resist film to exposure through a mask having a lattice-like pattern and organic solvent development, a fine hole pattern can be formed at a high precision of dimensional control.

A pattern is formed by applying a resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having an acid labile group-substituted hydroxyl group, an acid generator, and an organic solvent onto a substrate, prebaking the composition to form a resist film, exposing the resist film to high-energy radiation to define exposed and unexposed regions, baking, and developing the exposed film with an organic solvent developer to form a negative pattern wherein the unexposed region of film is dissolved and the exposed region of film is not dissolved.

Patterning process, resist composition, and acetal compound

A polymer is obtained from (meth)acrylate having a bridged ring lactone group, (meth)acrylate having an acid-labile leaving group, and (meth)acrylate having a hydroxynaphthyl pendant. A positive resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin, when exposed to high-energy radiation and developed, exhibits a high sensitivity, a high resolution, and a minimal line edge roughness due to controlled swell during development, and leaves minimal residues following development.

Positive resist compositions and patterning process

Novel amine compounds having a nitrogen-containing cyclic structure and a hydrating group such as a hydroxy, ether, ester, carbonyl, carbonate group or lactone ring are useful for use in resist compositions for preventing a resist film from thinning and also for enhancing the resolution and focus margin of resist.

Amine compounds, resist compositions and patterning process

Onium salts of arylsulfonyloxynaphthalenesulfonate anions with iodonium or sulfonium cations are novel. A chemically amplified resist composition comprising the onium salt as a photoacid generator is suited for microfabrication, especially by deep UV lithography because of many advantages including improved resolution, improved focal latitude, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized debris after coating, development and peeling, and improved pattern profile after development.

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Joetsu, Japan

Takeshi Nagata