IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,507,191
Granted Patent B2
US 8,507,191 · App. 12/986,806 · Granted Aug 13, 2013

Methods of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched developable antireflective material and semiconductor device structures including the same

Inventors: Dan B. Millward (Boise, ID); Yuan He (Boise, ID); Lijing Gou (Boise, ID); Zishu Zhang (Boise, ID); Anton J. deVilliers (Boise, ID); Jianming Zhou (Boise, ID); Kaveri Jain (Boise, ID); Scott Light (Boise, ID); Michael Hyatt (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,507,191
App. No.
12/986,806
Granted
Aug 13, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched developable antireflective material. One such method comprises forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition. The silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition comprises a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent. The silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent are reacted to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material that is insoluble and has at least one acid-sensitive moiety. A positive-tone photosensitive material, such as a positive-tone photoresist, is formed over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material and regions thereof are exposed to radiation. The exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material are removed. Additional methods are disclosed, as are semiconductor device structures including a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

Claims (63)

1. A method of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched developable antireflective material, comprising:

forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition soluble in a solvent and comprising a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent;

reacting the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material insoluble in the solvent;

forming a positive-tone photosensitive material over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to decouple underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material and render the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material soluble in the solvent; and

removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-enriched polymer comprises a water-soluble polymer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-enriched polymer comprises an organo-silicate compound, an organo-siloxane compound, or an organo-silsesquioxane compound.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition further comprises a thermal acid generator.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition further comprises a thermal acid generator and a photoacid generator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive-tone photosensitive material further comprises a photoacid generator.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition further comprises a decoupling agent.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material in a single act.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises:

removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material using a first solvent; and

removing the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using a second solvent.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent comprises reacting the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent in the presence of at least one of heat and radiation to form the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material, silicon comprising at least about 17% of a total weight of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation comprises exposing the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation through an imaging device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to decouple underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises diffusing acid from the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material into the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises simultaneously removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using the solvent.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises simultaneously removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the exposed regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using an aqueous alkaline solution.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent comprises exposing the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent to an acid, and wherein exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to decouple underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises exposing the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material to a different acid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein exposing the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent to an acid comprises generating the acid from a thermal acid generator, and wherein exposing the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material to a different acid comprises generating the different acid from a photoacid generator.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the acid comprises a weaker acid than the different acid.

18. A method of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched developable antireflective coating comprising:

forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition comprising:

a silicon-enriched polymer formulated to be soluble in water; and

a crosslinking agent formulated to react with at least one moiety of the silicon-enriched polymer;

reacting the silicon-enriched polymer and the crosslinking agent to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material insoluble in water and having at least one acid-sensitive moiety;

forming a positive-tone photosensitive material over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to render the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material soluble in at least one aqueous alkaline solution; and

removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using the at least one aqueous alkaline solution.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the silicon-enriched polymer comprises a silicon content of at least about 17% by weight of the silicon-enriched polymer.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the silicon-enriched polymer comprises a modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) comprising at least two hydroxyl-terminated oligo(ethylene oxide) moieties grafted on poly(dimethylsiloxane).

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using the at least one aqueous alkaline solution comprises removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising removing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material not exposed to the radiation.

23. A method of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched antireflective material comprising:

forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprising a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent; and

forming a positive-tone photosensitive material over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material prior to crosslinking the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to crosslink regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material underlying the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material; and

removing non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and other regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material underlying the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein removing non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and other regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material underlying the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material comprises substantially simultaneously removing the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material using a solvent.

25. A method of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched antireflective coating comprising:

forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprising a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent; and

forming a positive-tone photosensitive material over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material prior to crosslinking the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to crosslink underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material using a first solvent comprising an aqueous alkaline solution; and

removing non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material under the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material using a second solvent.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation to crosslink underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises diffusing acid from the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material into the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

27. A method of forming a patterned, silicon-enriched antireflective coating comprising:

forming a silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition on a material, the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition comprising a silicon-enriched polymer and a crosslinking agent;

exposing the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition to heat to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

forming a positive-tone photosensitive composition over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

exposing the positive-tone photosensitive composition to heat to form a positive-tone photosensitive material;

exposing regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to radiation;

removing the exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material to expose underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

forming a freeze overcoat over the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and the underlying regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material;

crosslinking the exposed regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material; and

removing the freeze overcoat, the non-exposed regions of the positive-tone photosensitive material and non-crosslinked regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein exposing the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition to heat to form a silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises exposing the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition to a temperature sufficient to remove a casting solvent but not crosslink the silicon-enriched polymer.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein forming a positive-tone photosensitive composition over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises forming the positive-tone photosensitive composition before crosslinking the silicon-enriched developable antireflective composition.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein forming a positive-tone photosensitive composition over the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises forming the positive-tone photosensitive composition in a solvent in which the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material is insoluble.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein crosslinking the exposed regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material comprises diffusing an acid catalyst from the freeze overcoat into the exposed regions of the silicon-enriched developable antireflective material.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2011
From: MILLWARD, DAN B.; HE, YUAN; GOU, LIJING; ZHANG, ZISHU; DEVILLIERS, ANTON J.; ZHOU, JIANMING; JAIN, KAVERI; LIGHT, SCOTT; HYATT, MICHAEL
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 025601/0717 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120177891A1 · Jul 12, 2012