Compositions and processes for photolithography
View Patent ↗New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. In one preferred aspect, photoresist composition are provided that comprise: (i) one or more resins that comprise photoacid-labile groups, (ii) a photoactive component, and (iii) one or more materials that comprise photoacid labile groups and that are distinct from the one or more resins; wherein the deprotection activation energy of photoacid-labile groups of the one or more materials is about the same as or lower than the deprotection activation energy of photoacid-labile groups of the one or more resins. In another preferred aspect, photoresist compositions are provided that comprise (i) one or more resins, (ii) a photoactive component, and (iii) one or more materials that comprise a sufficient amount of acidic groups to provide a dark field dissolution rate of at least one angstrom per second.
1. A method for processing a photoresist composition, comprising;
(a) applying on a substrate a layer of a photoresist composition, the photoresist composition comprising:
(i) one or more resins that comprise photoacid-labile groups;
(ii) a photoactive component, and
(iii) one or more materials that (i) comprise photoacid-labile groups, (ii) are distinct from the one or more resins, and (iii) are substantially non-mixable with the one or more resins;
wherein the deprotection activation energy of the photoacid-labile groups of the (iii) one or more materials is lower than the deprotection activation energy of the photoacid-labile groups of the one or more resins; and
(b) immersion exposing the photoresist composition layer to radiation activating for the photoresist composition,
wherein the (iii) one or more materials comprises a resin selected from the following:
where R1 through R3 in each of the above structures is hydrogen or methyl.
2. A method for processing a photoresist composition, comprising;
(a) applying on a substrate a layer of a photoresist composition, the photoresist composition comprising:
(i) one or more resins that comprise photoacid-labile groups;
(ii) a photoactive component, and
(iii) one or more materials that (i) comprise photoacid-labile groups, (ii) are distinct from the one or more resins, and (iii) are substantially non-mixable with the one or more resins;
wherein the deprotection activation energy of the photoacid-labile groups of the (iii) one or more materials is lower than the deprotection activation energy of the photoacid-labile groups of the one or more resins; and
(b) immersion exposing the photoresist composition layer to radiation activating for the photoresist composition,
wherein the (iii) one or more materials comprises a resin of the following structure: