Design considerations for high etch resistance spin-on carbon underlayers

As the critical dimension (CD) in semiconductor devices continues to shrink, the multilayer patterning process to transfer fine line patterns into an underlying substrate is becoming increasingly important. The trilayer processes consist of a photoresist film, a silicon-containing layer and a carbon rich underlayer. The distinctive difference in etch selectivity toward fluorine and oxygen based reactive ion etching (RIE) chemistry is critical to provide highly selective pattern transfer to the substrate. In response to the need for high etch resistant underlayers, we have developed carbon rich spin-on carbon (SOC) materials with good solubility in preferred casting solvents, high thermal stability and high dry etch resistance. To better understand structure-property relationships of high etch resistant SOC films, cured SOC films were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The design considerations for high etch resistance SOC underlayers, such as Ohnishi parameter, crosslinking and film density, will be discussed in this paper.