US Patent Application 17734975. POLYMER CROSSLINK DE-CROSSLINK PROCESSES FOR RESIST PATTERNING simplified abstract

POLYMER CROSSLINK DE-CROSSLINK PROCESSES FOR RESIST PATTERNING

Organization Name

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Inventor(s)

Yu-Chung Su of Hsinchu (TW)

Lilin Chang of Hsinchu (TW)

Jia-Lin Wei of Hsinchu (TW)

Ching-Yu Chang of Hsinchu (TW)

POLYMER CROSSLINK DE-CROSSLINK PROCESSES FOR RESIST PATTERNING - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17734975 titled 'POLYMER CROSSLINK DE-CROSSLINK PROCESSES FOR RESIST PATTERNING

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a method for creating a semiconductor structure using a photoresist layer.

• The method involves applying a photoresist layer, which contains a polymer, a photoacid initiator, and a crosslinker with multiple crosslinking sites, onto a substrate.
• The photoresist layer is then cured, causing the polymer to crosslink and form a solid structure.
• The cured photoresist layer is exposed to radiation, which triggers the photoacid initiator to produce an acid.
• The acid selectively de-crosslinks the crosslinked polymer in the areas exposed to radiation.
• The de-crosslinked portions of the photoresist layer are subsequently removed, leaving behind a patterned photoresist layer.
• This patterned photoresist layer can be used as a template for further semiconductor processing steps.

Original Abstract Submitted

A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate. The photoresist layer includes a polymer, a photoacid initiator and a crosslinker containing at least two crosslinking sites. The photoresist layer is then cured to crosslink the polymer, thereby forming a crosslinked polymer. Next, the photoresist layer is exposed to a radiation. An acid produced from exposure of the photoacid generator de-crosslinks the crosslinked polymer in exposed portions of the photoresist layer. The exposed portions of the photoresist layer are subsequently removed to form a patterned photoresist layer.