Patent TW-I224717-B (TW)
Title: Chemically amplified resist composition containing low molecular weight additives
Inventor: KIM JAE-YOUNG
IPC: C08K5/00
Filed: 2000-12-15
Granted: 2004-12-01
Abstract: Disclosed is a chemically amplified positive photoresist composition including: a multi-component copolymer represented by the formula I and having a polystyrene-reduced weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3,000 to 50,000 and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 1.0 to 3.0; a low molecular weight additive represented by the formula V; an acid generator; and a solvent, wherein X and Y independently comprise a repeating unit selected from the group consisting of monomers represented by the formulas (II), (III) and (IV), wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom, a normal, branched, monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a normal, branched, monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl carbonyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, including acetyl group, t-butyl oxycarbonyl group, cyclohexane carbonyl group, adamanthane carbonyl group and bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane methyl carbonyl group; R2 is a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkyl or alkoxy group containing a hydroxyl or carboxyl group, a normal or branched alkyloxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkylcarbonyl group, or a monocyclic or polycyclic alkyloxycarbonyl group; R3 is a hydrogen atom, or a normal, branched, monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, including methyl group, ethyl group, t-butyl group, isopropyl group, adamanthyl group, and bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane methyl group; and l, m, n and o are independently a number representing the repeating unit of the polymer and satisfying 0 <= l/(l+m+n+o) <= 0.5, 0 <= m/(l+m+n+o) <= 0.5, 0 <= n/(l+m+n+o) <= 0.35, 0.4 <= o/(l+m+n+o) <= 0.6, and 0.15 <= (l+m)/(l+m+n+o) <= 0.5, wherein R4 and R5 are the same as or different from each other and each represents a normal, branched, monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and R6 is a hydrogen atom, or a normal, branched, monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The low molecular weight additive for chemically amplified resist provided by the present invention has a good compatibility with other normal resins and high transparency to radiations as well as thermal stability in the range of temperature used in processing the resist. The low molecular weight additive is readily decomposed by the action of the acids generated under exposure, generating equivalent weights of carboxyl acids per one equivalent weight of the low molecular weight additives to enhance sensitivity and dissolution rate. Particularly, the additive has a structure containing a monocyclic or polycyclic alkyl group that increases dry etching resistance. A resist composition comprising the additive may provide a resist pattern excellent in sensitivity as well as adhesion to substrate and dry etching resistance. Such a resist composition is a promising material greatly suitable for use in the fabrication of semiconductor devices that are expected to have further fineness. Especially, the resist composition is suitable for KrF or ArF excimer laser lithography and thus useful in the fine engineering of less than 0.20 micron patterns.