PHOTORESIST COMPOSITION, METHOD OF PATTERNING THIN FILM USING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY PANEL USING THE SAME

Abstract

A photoresist composition capable of forming a high resolution pattern without an additional heating process includes an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 1, a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 2, and a solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight, wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent, and wherein Formulas 1 and 2 have the structures:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view for describing a conventional photolithography process;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an LCD panel formed by a thin film patterning process using a photoresist according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing the LCD panel in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view for describing in detail a patterning process shown in FIG. 3.

Claims

1. A photoresist composition used in a display device, comprising: an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 1;a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight;a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 2; anda solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight,wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent;

2. The photoresist composition according to claim 1, wherein the alkali-soluble phenolic polymer comprises a hydroxyl group, wherein the alkali-soluble phenol polymer comprises: an alkali-soluble novolak formed by condensing an aldehyde with a substituted phenol selected from ortho-cresol, meta-cresol, para-cresol, 2,4-xylenol, 2,5-xylenol, 3,4-xylenol, 3,5-xylenol, or a mixture comprising at least one of the foregoing substituted phenols; a poly (vinyl phenol), including poly (para-hydroxy-styrene), poly (para-hydroxy-alphamethylstyrene), a copolymer comprising at least one of para-hydroxy-styrene, para-hydroxy-alphamethylstyrene, or acetoxystyrene, an acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer, a hydroxyphenylalkylcarbonyl polymer, or a novolak/poly (vinyl phenol) copolymer; or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing alkali-soluble phenol polymers.

3. The photoresist composition according to claim 1, wherein the photo-acid generator is selected from a diazonium salt, an iodonium salt, a sulfonium salt, a diazosulfonyl compound, a sulfonyloxyimide, a nitrobenzyl sulfonate ester, a triazine, an oxazole, an oxadiazole, a thiazole, a phenolsulfonic acid ester, a bis-sulfonylmethane, a bis-sulfonyldiazomethane, triphenylsulfonium tris(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)methide, diphenyl iodonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or a mixture comprising at least one of the foregoing photo-acid generators.

4. The photoresist composition according to claim 1, wherein the dissolution inhibitor is obtained by dissolving trihydroxybenzophenone and t-butyl vinyl ether in acetone and reacting at room temperature in the presence of a base to convert the t-butyl vinyl ether to the t-butyl vinyl ether protective group, wherein the conversion of t-butyl vinyl ether to t-butyl vinyl ether protective group is 60 to 95%, as calculated on a per-mole basis.

5. The photoresist composition according to claim 1, further comprising a basic additive for suppressing an undercut phenomenon in an amount of 1 to 9.99 parts by weight based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent.

6. The photoresist composition according to claim 5, wherein the basic additive is an amine, ammonium hydroxide, a photosensitive base, tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide, triethanol amine, diethanol amine, trioctyl amine, n-octyl amine, trimethylsulfonium hydroxide, or triphenylsulfonium hydroxide.

7. A method of patterning a thin film, comprising: forming a thin film on a substrate;forming on the thin film a photoresist layer which includes an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight including at least one unit of Formula 1, a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight, including at least one unit of Formula 2, and a solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight, wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent;forming a photoresist pattern by patterning the photoresist layer by exposure and developing processes; andetching the thin film by using the photoresist pattern as a mask;

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the alkali-soluble phenol polymer comprises an alkali-soluble phenol polymer binder resin including a hydroxyl group selected from: an alkali-soluble novolak polymer comprising an aldehyde condensed with a substituted phenol including ortho-cresol, meta-cresol, para-cresol, 2,4-xylenol, 2,5-xylenol, 3,4-xylenol, 3,5-xylenol, or a mixture comprising at least one of the foregoing substituted phenols; a poly (vinyl phenol) polymer selected from, poly (para-hydroxy-styrene), poly (para-hydroxy-alphamethylstyrene), a copolymer comprising at least one of para-hydroxy-styrene, para-hydroxy-alphamethylstyrene, or acetoxystyrene, an acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer, a hydroxyphenylalkylcarbonyl polymer, or novolak/poly (vinyl phenol) copolymer; or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing alkali-soluble phenol polymers.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the photo-acid generator is selected from a diazonium salt, an iodonium salt, a sulfonium salt, a diazosulfonyl compound, a sulfonyloxyimide, a nitrobenzyl sulfonate ester, a triazine, an oxazole, an oxadiazole, a thiazole, a phenolsulfonic acid ester, a bis-sulfonylmethane, a bis-sulfonyldiazomethane, triphenylsulfonium tris(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)methide, diphenyl iodonium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or a mixture comprising at least one of the foregoing photo-acid generators.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the dissolution inhibitor is obtained by dissolving trihydroxybenzophenone and t-butyl vinyl ether in acetone and reacting at room temperature in the presence of a base to convert the t-butyl vinyl ether to the t-butyl vinyl ether protective group, wherein the conversion of t-butyl vinyl ether to t-butyl vinyl ether protective group is 60 to 95%, as calculated on a per-mole basis.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the photoresist further includes a basic additive for suppressing an undercut phenomenon in an amount of 1 to 9.99 parts by weight, based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol copolymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the basic additive is an amine, ammonium hydroxide, a photosensitive base, tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide, triethanol amine, diethanol amine, trioctyl amine, n-octyl amine, trimethylsulfonium hydroxide, or triphenylsulfonium hydroxide.

13. A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel, comprising: forming a thin film transistor substrate, including a thin film transistor so formed as to be connected to a gate line and a data line on a lower substrate, a passivation layer for protecting the thin film transistor, and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor on the passivation layer; andforming a color filter substrate, wherein the color filter substrate includes a black matrix for dividing a pixel region on an upper substrate which faces the lower substrate with liquid crystals disposed therebetween, a color filter formed in the pixel region, and a common electrode for forming an electric field with the pixel electrode;wherein at least one of the thin film transistor, the passivation layer, the pixel electrode, the black matrix, the color filter, and the common electrode is formed by a patterning process using a photoresist which includes an alkali-soluble phenol polymer in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight including at least one unit of Formula 1, a photo-acid generator in an amount of 0.5 to 10 parts by weight, a dissolution inhibitor in an amount of 5 to 50 parts by weight and including at least one unit of Formula 2, and a solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 parts by weight, wherein the amounts of the foregoing components is based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent, wherein Formulas 1 and 2 have the following structures;

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the photoresist further comprises a basic additive for suppressing an undercut phenomenon in an amount of 1 to 9.99 parts by weight based on a total of 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble phenol polymer, photo-acid generator, dissolution inhibitor, and solvent.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the basic additive is an amine, ammonium hydroxide, a photosensitive base, tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide, triethanol amine, diethanol amine, trioctyl amine, n-octyl amine, trimethylsulfonium hydroxide, or triphenylsulfonium hydroxide.