Method for computer modeling and simulation of negative-tone-developable photoresists
First Claim
1. A method of optimizing a mask, comprising:
- simulating a development process of a photoresist, comprising;
determining a reaction of a developer with a soluble photoresist surface comprising;
applying a reaction rate constant at a power of a reaction order to a blocked polymer concentration to yield a resist dissolution rate of soluble resist comprising a dissolution-limited regime of development; and
determining a flux of the developer into exposed and partially soluble resist comprising;
applying a vector valued diffusion coefficient of the developer dependent upon the blocked polymer concentration to a gradient of developer concentration to an expansion rate of insoluble resist comprising a expansion-controlled regime of development;
providing a result from the simulation for use in optimizing and forming a mask.
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Abstract
In some embodiments, a method may include improving a development process of a photoresist. The method may include simulating a negative-tone development process of a photoresist. The method may include determining a reaction of a developer with a soluble photoresist surface. Determining the reaction of the developer may include applying a reaction rate constant at a power of a reaction order to a blocked polymer concentration to yield a resist dissolution rate of soluble resist comprising the dissolution-limited regime of development. The method may include determining a flux of the developer into exposed and partially soluble resist. Determining the flux of the developer may include applying a vector valued diffusion coefficient of the developer dependent upon the blocked polymer concentration to a gradient of developer concentration to an expansion rate of insoluble resist comprising the expansion-controlled regime of development. The method may include optimizing an illumination source and a mask on a full chip.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of optimizing a mask, comprising:
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simulating a development process of a photoresist, comprising; determining a reaction of a developer with a soluble photoresist surface comprising; applying a reaction rate constant at a power of a reaction order to a blocked polymer concentration to yield a resist dissolution rate of soluble resist comprising a dissolution-limited regime of development; and determining a flux of the developer into exposed and partially soluble resist comprising; applying a vector valued diffusion coefficient of the developer dependent upon the blocked polymer concentration to a gradient of developer concentration to an expansion rate of insoluble resist comprising a expansion-controlled regime of development; providing a result from the simulation for use in optimizing and forming a mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of forming an integrated circuit, comprising:
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simulating a negative-tone development process of a photoresist, comprising; determining a reaction of a developer with a photoresist surface comprising; applying a reaction rate constant at a power of a reaction order to a blocked polymer concentration to yield a resist dissolution rate of soluble resist comprising the dissolution-limited regime of development; and determining a flux of the developer into exposed and partially soluble resist comprising; applying a vector valued diffusion coefficient of the developer dependent upon the blocked polymer concentration to a gradient of developer concentration to an expansion rate of insoluble resist comprising the expansion-controlled regime of development; and optimizing an illumination source and a mask on a full chip using a result from the simulation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification