Spin-on protective coatings for wet-etch processing of microelectronic substrates

• US 8,202,442 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brewer Science Inc.
• Original Assignee: Brewer Science Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Chenghong, Yess, Kimberly A., Flaim, Tony D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parvis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klunk, Margaret D
• Application Number:
  US11/856,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20080041815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 216/83, 216/13, 438/689, 438/694, 438/704, 438/780
• US Class Current: 216/83
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00539 Wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 15/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by etching etching or surface-brightening compositions, in general C09K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/355 Temporary coating
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 125/12 with unsaturated nitriles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3081 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31144 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 Addition polymer is perhalogenated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31612 As silicone, silane or siloxane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer

Abstract

New protective coating layers for use in wet etch processes during the production of semiconductor and MEMS devices are provided. The layers include a primer layer, a first protective layer, and an optional second protective layer. The primer layer preferably comprises an organo silane compound in a solvent system. The first protective layer includes thermoplastic copolymers prepared from styrene, acrylonitrile, and optionally other addition-polymerizable monomers such as (meth)acrylate monomers, vinylbenzyl chloride, and diesters of maleic acid or fumaric acid. The second protective layer comprises a highly halogenated polymer such as a chlorinated polymer which may or may not be crosslinked upon heating.

Claims

1. A method of forming a microelectronic structure, said method comprising contacting a microelectronic structure with an etchant selected from the group consisting of basic etchants and acidic etchants, said microelectronic structure comprising:

a microelectronic substrate having a surface, said microelectronic substrate being selected from the group consisting of Si substrates, SiO₂ substrates, Si₃N₄ substrates, SiO₂ on silicon substrates, Si₃N₄ on silicon substrates, glass substrates, quartz substrates, ceramic substrates, and semiconductor substrates;

a primer layer adjacent said substrate surface; and

a first protective layer adjacent said primer layer, said first protective layer including a first polymer comprising recurring monomers having the respective formulas

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said contacting comprises immersing said microelectronic structure in said etchant.

3. The method of claim 1, said structure further comprising a second protective layer adjacent said first protective layer.

4. The method of claim 3, said second protective layer comprising a halogenated polymer.

5. The method of claim 1, said first protective layer having an average thickness of from about 1-5 μ

m.

6. The method of claim 1, said primer layer comprising an aromatic silane.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said primer and protective layers exhibit less than about 3 mm of lifting when contacted for about 2 hours with a 30-35% by weight aqueous KOH solution having a temperature of about 83-87°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first protective layer further comprises a second polymer alloyed with said first polymer.