This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-147957, filed Jul. 16, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a pattern forming method and mask pattern data.
Known lithography technologies utilized in manufacturing semiconductor devices include double patterning technology using ArF immersion exposure, EUV lithography, nanoimprint, and others. The lithography technologies according to the related art suffer from a variety of problems such as an increase in cost, and a decrease in throughput as pattern features have become smaller.
Under such circumstances, the application of directed self-assembly (DSA) to lithography technologies has been considered. Self-assembly is achieved by energy stabilization in fluid materials to form patterns therefrom having a high degree of dimensional accuracy. Especially, a technology using microphase separation of a block copolymer can form periodic structures in a variety of shapes with dimensions of several nanometers (nm) to several hundred of nanometers (nm) by a simple coating and an annealing process. Microphase separation causes the block copolymer to change into spherical shapes (a sphere), columnar shapes (a cylinder), layer shapes (a lamella), and the like, according to the composition ratio of the components of the block copolymer, making it possible to form self-assembly patterns in a variety of shapes and dimensions.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a pattern forming method and mask pattern data capable of forming a self-assembly pattern in a desired area.
In general, according to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes: forming a guide layer, including a base layer and a neutralization film with a plurality of line sections, on a processing target film, the plurality of line sections being parallel to each other; forming a polymer material containing first segments and second segments, on the guide layer; performing microphase separation of the polymer material to form a self-assembly pattern in which first polymer portions containing the first segments and extending along the line sections, and second polymer portions containing the second segments and extending along the line sections are alternately disposed; and selectively removing the second polymer portions. The widths of line sections of both ends of the plurality of line sections of the neutralization film are about two times the width of each first polymer portion or each second polymer portion.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described on the basis of the accompanying drawings.
A pattern forming method an etch mask according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to
As shown in
The hard mask material 102 is provided for transferring a microphase separation pattern of a block copolymer, to be formed in a subsequent process, to the processing target film 101. The hard mask material 102 can be formed by depositing a carbon film having a film thickness of about 100 nm, for example, by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
The base guide layer 103 and the neutralization film 104 act as guides for forming the microphase separation pattern of the block copolymer in the subsequent process. The base guide layer 103 can be formed by depositing a silicon oxide film of a film thickness of about 15 nm, for example, by CVD.
The neutralization film 104 is neutral with respect to two polymer segments of the block copolymer to be used in the subsequent process. The neutralization film 104 can be formed, for example, by dissolving a random copolymer of polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) at a concentration of 1.0 wt %, and applying the solution by spin coating at 2000 rpm, and performing baking on a hotplate at 110° C. for 90 seconds, and then performing baking at 240° C. for 3 minutes.
Next, a resist is applied over the neutralization film 104 by spin coating, and is exposed and developed, whereby a resist pattern 110 having a line-and-space pattern is formed, as shown in
A pitch P1 of the resist pattern 110 is determined on the basis of the molecular weight and composition ratio of the block copolymer to be used in the subsequent process. The pitch P1 may be about three times the pitch (a pitch P2 of
For example, in a case where the pitch (the pitch P2) of the self-assembly pattern is 30 nm, the widths L1 of the line sections 110b at opposed ends is 30 nm, and the widths L2 of the line sections 110a of the central area and the widths L3 of the space sections of the central area become 45 nm (30 nm×1.5), and the pitch P1 of the line-and-space pattern of the resist 110 are 90 nm (30 nm×3).
In order to form this resist pattern 110, the pitch of the self-assembly pattern is used to generate mask pattern data in a computer as a first step. Next, on the basis of the mask pattern data, a mask for exposure is manufactured. Subsequently, the mask for exposure is used to perform exposure of the pattern in the resist layer, and the resist is then developed, whereby it is possible to form the resist pattern 110.
Next, the resist pattern 110 is used as a mask to process the neutralization film 104 into a line-and-space shape as shown in
Next, as shown in
Next, the block copolymer 105 is heated and a lamellar microphase separation structure film (a self-assembly pattern 106) is formed by microphase separation as shown in
The pitch P1 of the line-and-space pattern of the neutralization film 104 is about three times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106. The base guide layer 103 (exposed in the space sections between adjacent line portions of the neutralization films 104 of the line-and-space pattern) form pinning areas, and the first polymer portions 106a are formed in the center of the surface of the base guide layer 103. Also, due to the characteristics of lamellar microphase separation, the first polymer portions 106a and the second polymer portions 106b are alternately formed.
As shown in
Also, in areas outside of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends, regular phase separation of the block copolymer 105 does not occur. Thus, at the ends of the pattern, the block copolymer 105 is a mixed polymer 107 which is a mixture of the first polymer block chains and the second polymer block chains that are not phase separated.
As the block copolymer 105, it is possible to use, for example, a block copolymer of polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The value of [AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF PS BLOCKS]/[AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF PMMA BLOCKS] is, for example, 21,000/21,000. This block copolymer is dissolved in PGMEA at the concentration of about 1.0 wt %, and this solution is applied at 2000 rpm by spin coating. Next, baking is performed at 110° C. for 90 seconds, and then an annealing process is performed in nitrogen atmosphere at 220° C. for 3 minutes to separate the block copolymer into a lamellar domain having linear portions with a half-pitch of 15 nm. In this case, the first polymer portions 106a become the PS phase, and the second polymer portions 106b become the PMMA phase.
Next, as shown in
Next, a wet developing process is performed to selectively remove the second polymer portions 106b while leaving the first polymer portions 106a remain as shown in
Although not shown in the drawings, the openings formed where the second polymer portions 106b were removed, and the remaining first polymer portions 106a, are used as a mask to process the base guide layer 103 after the wet developing process. In this way, the line-and-space shape is transferred to the base guide layer 103. Next, the base guide layer 103 is used as a mask to process the hard mask material 102 by RIE or the like. In this way, the line-and-space shape is transferred to the hard mask material 102. Next, the hard mask material 102 is used as a mask to process the processing target film 101 by RIE or the like. In this way, it is possible to transfer the line-and-space pattern to the processing target film 101.
As shown in
As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to form a self-assembly pattern in a desired area.
In the above described embodiment, an example in which the block copolymer of polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is used as the block copolymer has been described. However, any other materials such as a block copolymer of polystyrene (PS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) may be used.
In the above described first embodiment, the chemical guides are composed of the neutralization film 104 and pinning areas (the exposed portions of the base guide layer between the line shaped neutralization films 104a in the first embodiment) 103, and the width of each neutralization film 104a in the central area (area between the opposed ends) are about 1.5 times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, in other words, about three times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b. Also, the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends is the same as the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, in other words, about two times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b. Further, the widths of the pinning areas 103 is about 1.5 times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106 (shown in dashed lines in
Therefore, after the wet developing process is performed so as to selectively remove the second polymer portions 106b, the number of remaining first polymer portions 106a becomes 3n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 1).
The number of first polymer portions 106a remaining after the wet developing process can be changed by adjusting the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends.
For example, if the width of one of the neutralization films 104b at one of the opposed ends is set to about 1.5 times or about two times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, (in other words, about three times or about four times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b) the number of the first polymer portions 106a that remain after the wet developing process becomes (3n+1).
Also, if the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends are set to about 1.5 times or about two times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, (in other words, about three times or about four times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b) the number of the first polymer portions 106a that remain after the wet developing process becomes (3n+2).
The above described examples relate to a case where the pinning areas 103 are hydrophilic. In a case where the pinning areas 103 are hydrophobic, the positions of the first polymer portions (PS phase) 106a and the second polymer portions (PMMA phase) 106b are reversed. In this case, if the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends are set to half of the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106 (shown in dashed lines in
In the case where the pinning areas 103 are hydrophobic, if the width of one of the neutralization films 104b of both ends is set to half of the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, (in other words, the same width as the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b), and the width of the other neutralization film 104b is set to one time or about 1.5 times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, (in other words, about two times or about three times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b) the number of the first polymer portions 106a that remain after the wet developing process becomes 3n.
Also, in the case where the pinning areas 103 are hydrophobic, if the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends are set to one time or about 1.5 times the pitch P2 of the self-assembly pattern 106, (in other words, about two times or about three times the width of each first polymer portion 106a or each second polymer portion 106b) the number of the first polymer portions 106a that remain after the wet developing process becomes (3n+1).
Not only the widths of the neutralization films 104b at the opposed ends, but also the widths of the neutralization films 104a of the central area other than at the opposed ends, and the widths of the pinning areas 103 may be adjusted. Because of the characteristics of the lamellar microphase separation, the widths of the neutralization films 104a and the pinning areas 103 are set to substantially odd multiples of the width of each first polymer portion 106a (or each second polymer portion 106b).
For example, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also, as shown in
As described above, if the widths of the neutralization films 104a of the central area (areas between the opposed ends) and the widths of the pinning areas 103 are adjusted, it is possible to set the number of the first polymer portions 106a that remain after the wet developing process, to a desired value. Therefore, it is possible to form a desired line-and-space patterns in a desired area.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-147957 | Jul 2013 | JP | national |