METHOD TO IMPROVE ADHESION OF PHOTORESIST ON SILICON SUBSTRATE FOR EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET AND ELECTRON BEAM LITHOGRAPHY

• US 20180233363A1
• Filed: 11/06/2017
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Glodde, Martin, Goldfarb, Dario L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,312,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0751 used as adhesion-promoting additives or as means to improve adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/16 Coating processes; Apparatus therefor applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70016 by discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70033 by plasma extreme ultraviolet [EUV] sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0274 Photolithographic processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0332 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0335 characterised by their behaviour during the process, e.g. soluble masks, redeposited masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0337 characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks, sidewalls, or to modify the mask, e.g. pre-treatment, post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0338 Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask

Abstract

An etch process that includes removing an oxide containing surface layer from a semiconductor surface to be etched by applying a hydrofluoric (HF) based chemistry, wherein the hydrofluoric (HF) based chemistry terminates the semiconductor surface to be etched with silicon-hydrogen bonds, and applying a vapor priming agent bearing chemical functionality based on the group consisting of alkynes, alcohols and a combination thereof to convert the silane terminated surface to a hydrophobic organic surface. The method continues with forming a photoresist layer on the hydrophobic organic surface; and patterning the photoresist layer. Thereafter, the patterned portions of the photoresist are developed to provide an etch mask. The portions of the semiconductor surface exposed by the etch mask are then etched.

Claims

1. An etch process comprising:

providing a semiconductor surface to be etched;

removing an oxide containing surface layer from the semiconductor surface to be etched by applying a hydrofluoric (HF) based chemistry, wherein the hydrofluoric (HF) based chemistry terminates the semiconductor surface to be etched with silicon-hydrogen bonds;

applying a vapor priming agent bearing chemical functionality based on the group consisting of alkynes, alcohols and a combination thereof to convert the silane terminated surface to a hydrophobic organic surface;

forming a photoresist layer on the hydrophobic organic surface;

patterning the photoresist layer;

developing patterned portions of the photoresist layer to provide an etch mask; and

etching the portions of the semiconductor surface exposed by the etch mask, while the portions of the semiconductor surface that are underlying the mask are not etched.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said patterning is a lithography method selected from the group consisting of EUV lithography, E-beam lithography and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrofluoric (HF) based chemistry is dilute hydrofluoric acid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said vapor priming agent bearing chemical functionality based on alkynes to convert the silane terminated surface to a hydrophobic organic surface comprises said alcohol selected from the group consisting of 2-Propyn-1-ol, 3-Butyn-1-ol, 4-Pentyn-1-ol, 1-Hexyn-3-ol, 4-Pentyn-2-ol, 1-Pentyn-3-ol, 4-Methyl-1-heptyn-3-ol, 5-Hexyn-3-ol, 1-Octyn-3-ol, 3-Butyn-2-ol, 3,5-Dimethyl-1-hexyn-3-ol, 2-Methyl-3-butyn-2-ol, 3-Methyl-1-pentyn-3-ol, 3-Ethyl-1-pentyn-3-ol, 1-Ethynylcyclopentanol and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said vapor priming agent bearing chemical functionality based on alkynes to convert the silane terminated surface to a hydrophobic organic surface comprises said alkyne selected from the group consisting of 5-chloro-1-pentyne, Propargyl ether, Iodo-1-pentyne, 5-Hexynoic acid, 1,7-Octadiyne, Ethyl propiolate, Dimethyl propargylmalonate, Methyl propiolate, 1-Hexyne, 1-Octyne, 3-Chloro-1-propanol and combinations thereof.