Method for performing a photolithography process

• US 10,796,910 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2019
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ko, Tsung-Han, Cheng, Joy, Chang, Ching-Yu, Lin, Chin-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Mulpuri, Savitri
• Application Number:
  US16/731,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20200135452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/038 Macromolecular compounds which are rendered insoluble or differentially wettable G03F7/075 takes precedence; macromolecular azides G03F7/012; macromolecular diazonium compounds G03F7/021
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/039 Macromolecular compounds which are photodegradable, e.g. positive electron resists G03F7/075 takes precedence; macromolecular quinonediazides G03F7/023
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0392 the macromolecular compound being present in a chemically amplified positive photoresist composition
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/094 Multilayer resist systems, e.g. planarising layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/26 Processing photosensitive materials; Apparatus therefor G03F7/12 - G03F7/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/38 Treatment before imagewise removal, e.g. prebaking G03F7/265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/40 Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/405 Treatment with inorganic or organometallic reagents after imagewise removal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0271 comprising organic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0273 characterised by the treatment of photoresist layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0274 Photolithographic processes
• 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 21/266 using masks H01L21/26586 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3086 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

Abstract

A method for performing a photolithography process is provided. The method includes forming a layer over a substrate, and exposing a portion of the layer to form an exposed region. The method also includes performing a baking process on the layer, so that voids are formed in the exposed region of the layer. The method further includes filling the void with a post treatment coating material, and the post treatment coating material is over the exposed region of the layer.

Claims

1. A method for performing a photolithography process, comprising:

forming a layer over a substrate;

exposing a portion of the layer to form an exposed region;

performing a baking process on the layer, so that voids are formed in the exposed region of the layer, wherein the layer comprises a polymer and an acid labile group (ALG), and the ALG cleaves from the polymer when performing the baking process on the layer; and

filling the void with a post treatment coating material, wherein the post treatment coating material is over the exposed region of the layer.

2. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

removing a portion of the post treatment coating material, such that sidewall surfaces and a top surface of the exposed region of the layer is covered by the first post treatment coating material.

3. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voids formed on an outer sidewall of the first exposed region are filled with the post treatment coating material.

4. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer further comprises an unexposed region, and the post treatment coating material is formed on the unexposed region.

5. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post treatment coating material comprises a first segment and a second segment linked to the first segment, and the first segment is configured to form a physical bond or a chemical bond with the exposed region of the layer.

6. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first segment comprises a halogen atom, hydroxy group, amine group, sulfo group, or carboxyl group.

7. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second segment is configured to increase the etching resistance of the post treatment coating material, and the second segment comprises substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group, or substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, and/or at least one hydrogen of the unsubstituted linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group is substituted by halogen, hydroxyl, sulfo or carboxyl.

8. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer further comprises an unexposed region, and the unexposed region is removed before filling the void with the post treatment coating material.

20. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

performing a post treatment process onto the post treatment coating material, wherein the post treatment process comprises a radiation curing process, a thermal baking process or a combination thereof.

9. A method for performing a photolithography process, comprising:

forming a resist layer over a substrate;

exposing a portion of the resist layer to form a first exposed region, a second exposed region and an unexposed region between the first exposed region and the second exposed region;

performing a baking process on the resist layer, so that voids are formed in the first exposed region and the second exposed region;

forming a first coating material over the first exposed region, the second exposed region, and in the voids; and

forming a second coating material on a sidewall of the first exposed region and a sidewall of the second exposed region.

10. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

removing a portion of the first coating material by a first developer, wherein another portion of the first coating material is left on a top surface the first exposed region, a top surface of the second exposed region and a top surface of the unexposed region; and

removing the unexposed region using a second developer, such that another portion of the first coating material is divided into two separated portions.

11. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first developer is different from the second developer.

12. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first coating material comprises a first segment and a second segment linked to the first segment, and the first segment is configured to form a physical bond or a chemical bond with the first exposed region and the second exposed region of the resist layer.

13. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the resist layer comprises a polymer and an acid labile group (ALG), and the acid labile group cleaves from the polymer when performing the baking process on the resist layer.

14. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the voids are formed on an outer sidewall of the first exposed region, and the outer sidewall of the first exposed region is covered by the first coating material.

15. A method for performing a photolithography process, comprising:

forming a resist layer over a substrate, wherein the resist layer comprises a polymer and an acid labile group (ALG) linked to the polymer;

exposing a portion of the resist layer to form an exposed region and an unexposed region;

performing a heating process on the resist layer, so that the acid labile group cleaves from the polymer to form voids in the exposed region; and

forming a first coating material over the exposed region, an unexposed region and in the voids.

16. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

removing a portion of the first coating material, wherein another portion of the first coating material continuously covers a top surface of the exposed region and a top surface of the unexposed region; and

removing the unexposed region, such that another portion of the first coating material is divided into two separated portions.

17. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of removing the portion of the first coating material is performed by a first developer, the step of removing the unexposed region is performed by a second developer, and the first developer is different from the second developer.

18. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coating material comprises a first segment and a second segment linked to the first segment, and the first segment is configured to form a physical bond or a chemical bond with the exposed region of the resist layer.

19. The method for performing the photolithography process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the voids formed on an outer sidewall of the first exposed region are filled with the first coating material.