Photoresists and methods for use thereof

Abstract

New photoresist are provided that comprises an Si-containing component and that are particularly useful for ion implant lithography applications. Photoresists of the invention can exhibit good adhesion to underlying inorganic surfaces such as SiON, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and other inorganic surfaces.

Claims

1. A method for forming a photoresist relief image comprising: (a) applying on a substrate a chemically-amplified photoresist comprising a resin, a photoactive component and an adhesion-promoting agent; and (b) exposing the photoresist coating layer to patterned 193 nm radiation; wherein the resin is substantially or completely free of phenyl or other aromatic groups, and the adhesion-promoting component is selected from the group consisting of: 3-glycidoxypropyl (methyl)diethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl (dimethyl)ethoxysilane, n-butyl trimethoxysilane, n-octyl trimethoxysilane, 3-(pentafluorophenyl)propyl trimethoxysilane, 1,8-bis(triethoxysilyl)octane, butanediol diglycidyl ether, and Ethylhexyl glycidyl ether.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the photoresist composition is applied on an inorganic surface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesion-promoting component is selected from the group consisting of: 3-glycidoxypropyl (dimethyl)ethoxysilane, n-butyl trimethoxysilane, n-octyl trimethoxysilane, 3-(pentafluorophenyl)propyl trimethoxysilane, 1,8-bis(triethoxysilyl)octane, butanediol diglycidyl ether, and Ethylhexyl glycidyl ether.

4. A method for forming a photoresist relief image comprising: (a) applying on a substrate a chemically-amplified photoresist comprising a resin, a photoactive component and an adhesion-promoting component; and (b) exposing the photoresist coating layer to patterned activating radiation; wherein the resin is substantially or completely free of phenyl or other aromatic groups, and the adhesion-promoting component is selected from the group consisting of: 3-glycidoxypropyl (methyl)diethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl (dimethyl)ethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane, and 3-glycidoxypropyl triethoxysilane.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the photoresist composition is applied on an inorganic surface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the adhesion-promoting component is selected from the group consisting of: 3-glycidoxypropyl (dimethyl)ethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane, and 3-glycidoxypropyl triethoxysilane.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

Resist Preparation

(1) A photoresist is prepared by admixing the following components (1 through 5 below) where amounts are expressed as weight percent of total weight of the resist.

(2) 1. Resin. The resin of the photoresist is terpolymer of (2-methyl-2-adamantyl methacrylate/beta-hydroxy-gamma-butyrolactone methacrylate/cyano-norbornyl methacrylate present in 10/80 weight percent based on total weight of the fluid photoresist.

(3) 2. Photoacid generator compound (PAG). The PAG is t-butyl phenyl tetramethylene sulfonium perfluorobutanesulfonate present in 2.5 weight percent of the total weight of the fluid photoresist.

(4) 3. Basic additive. The basic additive is N-Alkyl Caprolactam in an amount of 0.017 weight % based on total weight of the photoresist composition.

(5) 4. Adhesion-promoting component. The adhesion promoting component is 3-glyidoxypropol timethoxy silane present in an amount of 2.5 weight present based on total weight of the photoresist.

(6) 5. Solvent. The solvent is ethyl lactate to provide balance of resist.

EXAMPLE 2

Lithographic Processing

(7) The formulated resist composition of Example 1 is spin coated onto a SiON wafer surface and softbaked via a vacuum hotplate at 90 C. for 60 seconds. The resist coating layer is exposed through a photomask at 193 nm, and then the exposed coating layers are post-exposure baked at 110 C. The coated wafers are then treated with 0.26N aqueous tetrabutylammonium hydroxide solution to develop the imaged resist layer.

(8) After formation of the photoresist relief image, the substrate (with resist mask) is exposed to high energy (>20 eV, reduced pressure environment) phosphorus-ion implant processing.