Process Solutions Containing Surfactants

Abstract

Process solutions comprising one or more surfactants are used to reduce the number of defects in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In certain embodiments, the process solution may reduce post-development defects such as pattern collapse or line width roughness when employed as a rinse solution either during or after the development of the patterned photoresist layer. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the number of defects such as pattern collapse and/or line width roughness on a plurality of photoresist coated substrates employing the process solution of the present invention.

1 . A method for reducing the number of defects during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, the method comprising: 
 providing a substrate comprising a photoresist coating;    exposing the substrate to a radiation source to form a pattern on the photoresist coating;    applying a developer solution to the substrate to form a patterned photoresist coating;    optionally rinsing the substrate with deionized water; and    contacting the substrate with a process solution comprising at least one aqueous solvent, at least one non-aqueous solvent that is miscible in an aqueous solvent, and about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm of at least one surfactant having the formula (I), (II), (III), (IVa), (IVb), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IXa), (IXb), (IXc), (Xa), (Xb), (Xc), or (Xd):                                            wherein R, R 1 , R 4 , and R 12  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 3 to 25 carbon atoms; R 2  and R 3  are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R 5  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R 6  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms; R 7 , R 8 , and R 9  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 10  is independently H or a group represented by the formula                          R 11  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; W is a hydrogen atom or an alkynyl group; X and Y are each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; Z is a halide atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetate group, or a carboxylate group; i, m, n, p, and q are each independently a number that ranges from 0 to 20; r and s are each independently 2 or 3; t is a number that ranges from 0 to 2; j is a number that ranges from 1 to 5; and x is a number that ranges from 1 to 6.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the contacting step comprises a dynamic rinse.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the contacting step comprises a static rinse.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the surface of the substrate in the contacting step is wet with the developer solution.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the surface of the substrate in the contacting step is wet with the deionized water rinse.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the process stream is formed by injecting 10 to 10,000 ppm of the at least one surfactant into the solvent.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the process stream is formed by applying 10 to 10,000 ppm of the at least one surfactant onto the surface of the substrate and applying the solvent to the substrate surface.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the process stream is formed by passing the solvent through a cartridge comprising the at least one surfactant.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a time of the contacting step ranges from 1 to 200 seconds.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the time of the contacting step ranges from 1 to 150 seconds.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the time of the contacting step ranges from 1 to 40 seconds.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein an at least one temperature of the contacting step ranges from 10 to 100° C.  
     
     
         13 . A method for avoiding a collapse of a developed pattern on the surface of a plurality of substrates, the method comprising: 
 providing a first substrate comprising a photoresist pattern developed upon the surface;    preparing a process solution comprising from 10 ppm to about 10,000 of at least one surfactant having the formula (I), (II), (III), (IVa), (IVb), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IXa), (IXb), (IXc), (Xa), (Xb), (Xc), or (Xd):                                            wherein R, R 1 , R 4 , and R 12  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 3 to 25 carbon atoms; R 2  and R 3  are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R 5  is a straight or a branched alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R 6  is a straight or a branched alkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms; R 7 , R 8 , and R 9  are each independently a straight or a branched alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 10  is independently a H atom or a group represented by the formula                          R 11  is a straight, branched, or cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; W is a hydrogen atom or an alkynyl group; X and Y are each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; Z is a halide atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetate group, or a carboxylate group; i, m, n, p, and q are each independently a number that ranges from 0 to 20; r and s are each independently 2 or 3; t is a number that ranges from 0 to 2; j is a number that ranges from 1 to 5; and x is a number that ranges from 1 to 6;    contacting the first substrate with the process solution;    determining a surface tension and a contact angle of the process solution on the first substrate;    multiplying the surface tension by the cosine of the contact angle to provide the adhesion tension value of the process solution;    providing the plurality of substrates wherein each substrate within the plurality comprises a photoresist pattern developed upon the surface; and    contacting the plurality of substrates with the process solution if the adhesion tension value of the process solution is 30 or below.    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the preparing, the first contacting, the determining, and the multiplying steps are repeated until the adhesion tension value is 30 or below.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the surface of the plurality of substrates in the second contacting step is wet with a deionized water rinse.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the surface of the plurality of substrates is wet with a developer solution.  
     
     
         17 . A method of reducing pattern collapse defects on the surface of a patterned and developed substrate comprising: contacting the substrate with a process solution comprising an aqueous solvent, a non-aqueous solvent, and at least one surfactant having the formula (I), (II), (III), (IVa), (IVb), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IXa), (IXb), (IXc), (Xa), (Xb), (Xc), or (Xd):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R, R 1 , R 4 , and R 12  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 3 to 25 carbon atoms; R 2  and R 3  are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R 5  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R 6  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms; R 7 , R 8 , and R 9  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 10  is a hydrogen atom or a group represented by the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       R 11  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; W is a hydrogen atom or an alkynyl group; X and Y are each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; Z is a halide atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetate group, or a carboxylate group; i, m, and n are each independently a number that ranges from 0 to 20; r and s are each independently 2 or 3; t is a number that ranges from 0 to 2; j is a number that ranges from 1 to 5; and x is a number that ranges from 1 to 6.  
     
     
         18 . A method of reducing line width roughness defects on the surface of a patterned and developed substrate comprising: contacting the substrate with a process solution comprising an aqueous solvent, a non-aqueous solvent, and at least one surfactant having the formula (I), (II), (III), (IVa), (IVb), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IXa), (IXb), (IXc), (Xa), (Xb), (Xc), or (Xd):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R, R 1 , R 4 , and R 12  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 3 to 25 carbon atoms; R 2  and R 3  are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R 5  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R 6  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms; R 7 , R 8 , and R 9  are each independently a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 10  is a hydrogen atom or a group represented by the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       R 11  is a straight, a branched, or a cyclic alkyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; W is a hydrogen atom or an alkynyl group; X and Y are each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; Z is a halide atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetate group, or a carboxylate group; i, m, and n are each independently a number that ranges from 0 to 20; r and s are each independently 2 or 3; t is a number that ranges from 0 to 2; j is a number that ranges from 1 to 5; and x is a number that ranges from 1 to 6.