Novel detection and process improvement for Organic coating-film defects

摘要

Spin coating has been used as a photoresist application method for many years, and it has continued to include applications such as the tri-layer with stacked photoresist, Si containing anti-reflected coating (Si-ARC), and Spin on Carbon (SOC). Last year we reported EUV defectivity improvement, but the causes of some defect types were not found. In this study, the defects unique to the coated organic film were detected using an LS9300 by Hitachi High-Technologies, and some of these defects were able to be mitigated by optimizing the SOKUDO-DUO track system. Utilizing these systems in tandem, we have revealed a mechanism of EUV pattern defect reduction linked to novel detected film coating defects. During the conference, we will discuss expansion of this concept to other film coatings.