Phenolic polymers and photoresists comprising same
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to new polymers that contain phenolic groups spaced from a polymer backbone and photoacid-labile group. Preferred polymers of the invention are useful as a component of chemically-amplified positive-acting resists.
1. A photoresist composition comprising a photoactive component and a resin, the resin comprises a structure of the following formula:
wherein each Z is the same or different bridge unit;
X comprises one or more alkyl, oxygen or sulfur atoms;
each R 1 is the same or different non-hydrogen substituent; and m is an integer of from zero to 4;
AL is a moiety that comprises a photoacid-labile group;
Y is a moiety that is distinct from the spaced phenolic group or moiety that comprises AL, and Y is selected from the group consisting of phenyl; phenyl substituted with halogen, cyano, alkyl or alkoxy; an ester that does not undergo a photoacid-indueed cleavage reaction during exposing and developing of the photoresist layer; an alicyclic group; and a lactone; and
a, b and c are mole percents of the respective polymer units based on total repeat units in the polymer and a, b and c are each greater than zero.
2. A photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein X consists essentially of one or more alkyl or oxygen atoms.
3. A photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of phenyl; phenyl substituted with halogen, cyano, alkyl or alkoxy; an ester that does not undergo a photoacid-induced cleavage reaction during exposing and developing of the photoresist layer.
4. A photoresist composition of claim 1 wherein the resin comprises a structure of the following formula
each R is the same or different and is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl;
each Z is the same or different bridge unit;
X comprises one or more alkyl, oxygen or sulfur atoms;
each R 1 is the same or different non-hydrogen substituent;
m is an integer of from zero to 4;
P is a moiety that provides a photoacid-labile ester;
Y is a moiety that is distinct from the spaced phenolic group or moiety that comprises P, and Y is selected from the group consisting of phenyl; phenyl substituted with halogen, cyano, alkyl or alkoxy; an ester that does not undergo a photoacid-induced cleavage reaction during exposing and developing of the photoresist layer; an alicyclic group; and a lactone; and
a, b and c are mole percents of the respective polymer units based on total repeat units in the polymer and are each greater than zero.
5. A photoresist composition of claim 4 wherein X consists essentially of one or more alkyl or oxygen atoms.
6. A photoresist composition of claim 4 wherein the resin comprises polymerized units of hydroxyphenylmethacrylate; methyl methacrylate; and tert-butyl acrylate.
7. A photoresist composition of claim 4 wherein the resin comprises polymerized units of hydroxyphenylmethacrylate; styrene; and tert-butyl acrylate.
8. A photoresist composition of claim 4 wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of phenyl; phenyl substituted with halogen, cyano, alkyl or alkoxy; an ester that does not undergo a photoacid-induced cleavage reaction during exposing and developing of the photoresist layer.