Abstract: Cleaning solutions for photoresist are disclosed which are useful for cleaning a semiconductor substrate in the last step of development when photoresist patterns are formed. Also, methods for forming photoresist patterns using the same are disclosed. The disclosed cleaning solution comprises H2O as a solution, a surfactant which is phosphate-alcoholamine salt represented by Formula 1, and an alcohol compound. The disclosed cleaning solution has lower surface tension than that of distilled water which has been used for conventional cleaning solutions, thereby improving resistance to photoresist pattern collapse and stabilizing the photoresist pattern formation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an additive for a photoresist composition for a resist flow process. A compound of following Formula 1 having low glass transition temperature is added to a photoresist composition containing a polymer which is not suitable for the resist flow process due to its high glass transition temperature, thus improving a flow property of the photoresist composition. As a result, the photoresist composition comprising an additive of Formula 1 can be used for the resist flow process.

Abstract: A photoresist polymer for a top-surface imaging process by silylation (TIPS), and a photoresist composition comprising the same. The protecting group of the present photoresist polymer is selectively protected in an exposed region, and thus a hydroxyl group is generated. The hydroxyl group reacts with the silylation agent to cause a silylation process. Accordingly, when the photoresist film is dry-developed, the exposed region only remains to form a negative pattern. In addition, the present photoresist composition has excellent adhesiveness to a substrate, thus preventing a pattern collapse in forming a minute pattern. As a result, the present photoresist composition is suitable for a lithography process using light sources such as ArF (193 nm), VUV (157 nm) and EUV (13 nm).

Abstract: The present invention provides an additive for a photoresist composition for a resist flow process. A compound of following Formula 1 having low glass transition temperature is added to a photoresist composition containing a polymer which is not suitable for the resist flow process due to its high glass transition temperature, thus improving a flow property of the photoresist composition. As a result, the photoresist composition comprising an additive of Formula 1 can be used for the resist flow process. wherein, A, B, R and R′ are as defined in the specification of the invention.

Abstract: TIMD (tetraisoprophyl methylene diphosphonate) as a light absorbance depressant to a light source of a wavelength of less than 200 nm, and a photoresist composition containing the same are disclosed. The disclosed chemically amplified photoresist composition containing TIMD is useful for a VUV (vacuum ultraviolet) photoresist composition due to its low light absorbance to a light source of a wavelength of 157 mn.

Abstract: Photoresist additives for preventing the acid generated in the exposed area during the course of a photolithography process from being diffused to the unexposed area, photoresist compositions containing the same, and a process for forming a photoresist pattern using the same. Photoresist compositions comprising the disclosed additive can prevent acid diffusion effectively even if the additive is used in low concentrations, thereby improving LER, resulting in excellent profiles and lowering optimum irradiation energies. wherein, R1, R2, R3, R4 and k are as defined herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds represented by formulas 1a and 1b′; and photoresist polymers derived from the same. The present inventors have found that photoresist polymers derived from compounds of formulas 1a, 1b, or mixtures thereof, having an acid labile protecting group have excellent durability, etching resistance, reproducibility, adhesiveness and resolution, and as a result are suitable for lithography processes using deep ultraviolet light sources such as KrF, ArF, VUV, EUV, electron-beam, and X-ray, which can be applied to the formation of the ultrafine pattern of 4G and 16G DRAMs as well as the DRAM below 1G: where R1, R2 and R3 are those defined herein.

Abstract: A chemical amplification photoresist monomer, a photoresist polymer prepared thereof, and a photoresist composition using the polymer. More specifically, a chemical amplification photoresist polymer comprising a fluorine-containing monomer represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a composition comprising the polymer. The photoresist composition has excellent etching resistance, heat resistance and adhesiveness, and is developable in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. As the composition has low light absorbance at 193 nm and 157 nm wavelength, it is very useful for forming ultramicro pattern in the process using a light source of far ultraviolet, especially of VUV (157 nm). In the Formula, R1, R2, R3 and R4 is defined in the specification.

Abstract: Photoresist monomers, photoresist polymers prepared therefrom, and photoresist compositions using the polymer are disclosed. The photoresist polymers include photoresist monomers containing fluorine-substituted benzylcarboxylate group represented by Formula 1. The photoresist composition has excellent etching resistance, heat resistance and adhesiveness, and is developable in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. As the composition has low light absorbance at 193 nm and 157 nm wavelength, it is suitable for a process using ultraviolet light source such as VUV (157 nm). In the Formula, R1, R2, R3 and m are defined in the specification.

Abstract: An organic anti-reflective polymer which prevents back reflection of lower film layers and eliminates standing wave that is occurred by a thickness change of photoresist and light, in a process for fabricating ultrafine patterns that use photoresist for lithography by using 193 nm ArF and its preparation method. More particularly, the organic anti-reflective polymer of the present invention is useful for fabricating ultrafine patterns of 64M, 256M, 1G, and 4G DRAM semiconductor devices. A composition containing such organic anti-reflective polymer, an anti-reflective coating layer made therefrom and a preparation method thereof.

Abstract: Photoresist polymers, and photoresist compositions using the polymer are disclosed. More specifically, photoresist polymers containing maleimide represented by Formula 1. Photoresist compositions including the photoresist polymers have excellent etching resistance, heat resistance and adhesiveness, and development ability in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. As the compositions have low light absorbance at 193 nm and 157 nm wavelength, they are suitable for a process using ultraviolet light source such as VUV (157 nm). wherein, 1, R1, R2, R3, R, R′, R″, R″′, X, a and b are defined in the specification.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing or eliminating a poor pattern formation on a photoresist film by contacting the photoresist film with an alkaline solution prior to its exposure to light. Methods of the present invention significantly reduce or prevent T-topping and top-loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoresist composition containing a photo radical generator, more specifically, to a photoresist composition which comprises (a) photoresist resin, (b) a photoacid generator, (c) an organic solvent and (d) a photo radical generator. The present photoresist composition reduces or prevents a sloping pattern formation due to a higher concentration of acid in the upper portion of the photoresist relative to the lower portion of the photoresist.

Abstract: Photoresist monomers of following Formulas 1 and 2, photoresist polymers thereof, and photoresist compositions containing the same. The photoresist composition has excellent adhesiveness to a wafer, and is developable in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. In addition, the photoresist composition has low absorbance of light having the wavelength of 157 nm, and thus is suitable for a photolithography process using ultraviolet light sources such as VUV (157 nm) and EUV (13 nm) in fabricating a minute circuit for a high integration semiconductor device. wherein, R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the specification of the invention.

Abstract: Photoresist monomers, photoresist polymers prepared therefrom, and photoresist compositions using the polymers are disclosed. More specifically, photoresist polymers comprising a photoresist monomer containing fluorine-substituted benzylcarboxylate represented by Formula 1, and a composition comprising the polymer are disclosed. The photoresist composition has excellent etching resistance, heat resistance and adhesiveness, and can be developed in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. And, the present photoresist composition is suitable to form a fine pattern using deep ultraviolet light source such as VUV (157 nm), since the composition has low light absorbance at 193 nm and 157 nm wavelength. wherein, X1, X2, R1, l and m are defined in the specification.

Abstract: The present invention provides photoresist monomers, photoresist polymers derived from the same, processes for producing such photoresist polymers, photoresist compositions comprising such polymers, and processes for producing a photoresist pattern using such photoresist compositions.

Abstract: Photoresist compositions for a Top-surface Imaging Process by Silylation (TIPS), and a process for forming a positive pattern according to the TIPS using the same. The photoresist composition for the TIPS comprises a cross-linker of following Formula 1 or 2. A protecting group of the cross-linker and a hydroxyl group of the photoresist polymer are selectively crosslinked in the exposed region, and the residual hydroxyl group reacts to a silylating agent in the non-exposed region by silylation. Thus, the non-exposed region only remains after the dry-development, thereby forming a positive pattern. In addition, the photoresist composition of the present invention is suitable for the TIPS lithography using light sources such as ArF (193 nm), VUV (157 nm) and EUV (13 nm). wherein, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: Photoresist monomers of following Formula 1, photoresist polymers thereof, and photoresist compositions using the same. The photoresist composition has excellent etching resistance, heat resistance and adhesiveness, and is developable in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. In addition, the photoresist composition has low light absorbance at the wavelength of 193 nm, 157 nm and 13 nm, and thus is suitable for a photolithography process using ultraviolet light sources such as VUV (157 nm) and EUV (13 nm) in fabricating a minute circuit for a high integration semiconductor device. wherein, R1, R2, R3, Y, W, m and n are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: Photoresist compositions which are useful in a resist flow process are disclosed. A process for forming a contact hole pattern using the disclosed photoresist compositions is also disclosed. The disclosed photoresist resin includes a mixture of two or more polymers. Preferably, a mixture of a first copolymer and a second copolymer are cross-linked, and thus it prevents a contact hole from being collapsed due to over flow which is typically observed during a conventional resist flow process. In addition, the disclosed photoresist compositions allow formation of uniform sized patterns.

Abstract: Photoresist polymers having nitro groups (—NO2), and photoresist compositions containing the same. A photoresist pattern having excellent endurance, etching resistance, reproducibility and resolution can be formed by the use of the photoresist copolymer comprising polymerization repeating units represented by Chemical Formula 1a or 1b: wherein, R1, a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h is defined in the specification. Having nitro groups in the polymer, the photoresist polymer results in a low absorbance in the range of 157 nm wavelength, so that it is extremely useful for a photolithography process using, in particular, VUV light source.