IP Library Granted Patent US 7,226,726
Granted Patent B2
US 7,226,726 · App. 10/872,603 · Granted Jun 5, 2007

Aqueous surfactant solution for developing coating film layer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,226,726
App. No.
10/872,603
Granted
Jun 5, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

The developer of the present invention is used in a method where a water-soluble resin coating layer is applied on a resist pattern formed by the conventional method, and the coating layer is crosslinked by an acid supplied from the resist, and the uncrosslinked area in the coating layer is dissolved and removed with a developer to thicken the resist pattern. This developer comprises an aqueous solution containing at least one surfactant selected from an N-acylsarcosinate, an N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, an N-acyltaurinate, an N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate, a fatty acid alkylol amide, and a fatty acid alkylol amide polyoxyethylene adduct.

Claims (9)

1. A developer comprising a surfactant and water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent, wherein the surfactant comprises at least one selected from an N-acylsarcosinate, an N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, an N-acyltaurinate, and an N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate, where the counter ion of the N-acylsarcosinate, the N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, the N-acyltaurinate, and the N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate is an organic amine or an organic amine salt, wherein said developer is used for forming a pattern comprising forming a coating layer on a resist pattern, thickening the resist pattern by crosslinking of the coating layer, and removing the uncrosslinked coating layer with the developer to effectively make the pattern finer.

2. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein the number of carbon atoms of the acyl group of the surfactant is 10 to 14.

3. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from N-lauroylsarcosinate, N-lauroyl-N-methylalaninate, N-lauroyltaurinate, and N-lauroyl-N-methyltaurinate.

4. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the surfactant is 0.01 to 10.0% by weight.

5. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent comprises at least one selected from a saturated or unsaturated alcohol with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a saturated polyvalent alcohol with 2 or 3 hydroxyl groups, a saturated or unsaturated alkyl amine with 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and a saturated or unsaturated alkanol amine with 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

6. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein water and the organic solvent are mixed in a ratio of water to the organic solvent of 80:20 to 99:1.

7. A method of forming a pattern comprising forming a coating layer on a resist pattern, thickening the resist pattern by crosslinking of the coating layer, and removing the uncrosslinked coating layer with a developer to effectively make the pattern finer, wherein the developer is a surfactant aqueous solution comprising a surfactant and water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent, wherein the surfactant comprises at least one selected from an N-acylsarcosinate, an N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, an N-acyltaurinate, and an N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate, where the counter ion of the N-acylsarcosinate, the N-acyl-N-methylalaninate, the N-acyltaurinate, and the N-acyl-N-methyltaurinate is an organic amine or an organic amine salt.

8. The developer according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern is selected from a line and space pattern and contact hole pattern.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the pattern is selected from a line and space pattern and contact hole pattern.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2015
From: AZ ELECTRONIC MATERIALS USA CORP.
To: MERCK PATENT GMBH
Reel/Frame 034742/0689 →