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Kim SK. Contact Hole Shrinkage: Simulation Study of Resist Flow Process and Its Application to Block Copolymers. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:1151. [PMID: 39337811 PMCID: PMC11433965 DOI: 10.3390/mi15091151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
For vertical interconnect access (VIA) in three-dimensional (3D) structure chips, including those with high bandwidth memory (HBM), shrinking contact holes (C/Hs) using the resist flow process (RFP) represents the most promising technology for low-k1 (where CD=k1λ/NA,CD is the critical dimension, λ is wavelength, and NA is the numerical aperture). This method offers a way to reduce dimensions without additional complex process steps and is independent of optical technologies. However, most empirical models are heuristic methods and use linear regression to predict the critical dimension of the reflowed structure but do not account for intermediate shapes. In this research, the resist flow process (RFP) was modeled using the evolution method, the finite-element method, machine learning, and deep learning under various reflow conditions to imitate experimental results. Deep learning and machine learning have proven to be useful for physical optimization problems without analytical solutions, particularly for regression and classification tasks. In this application, the self-assembly of cylinder-forming block copolymers (BCPs), confined in prepatterns of the resist reflow process (RFP) to produce small contact hole (C/H) dimensions, was described using the self-consistent field theory (SCFT). This research paves the way for the shrink modeling of the enhanced resist reflow process (RFP) for random contact holes (C/Hs) and the production of smaller contact holes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Kon Kim
- The Faculty of Liberal Arts, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
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2
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Song Q, Zhou J, Dong Q, Tian S, Chen Y, Ji S, Xiong S, Li W. Directed Self-Assembly by Sparsely Prepatterned Substrates with Self-Responsive Polymer Brushes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 39034851 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The guiding pattern in the chemoepitaxially directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is often fabricated by periodically functionalizing homogeneously random copolymer brushes tethered on a substrate. The prepatterned copolymer brushes constitute a soft penetrable surface, and their two components can in principle locally segregate in response to the overlying self-assembly process of block copolymers. To reveal how the self-responsive behavior of the copolymer brushes affects the directing effect, we develop a dissipative particle dynamics model to explicitly include the prepatterned polymer brushes and implement it to simulate the DSA of a cylinder-forming diblock copolymer melt on the sparse pattern of polymer brushes. Through large-scale dynamic simulations, we identify the windows of the content of the random copolymer, the film thickness, and the diameter of the patterned spot, for the formation of perfectly ordered hexagonal patterns composed of perpendicular cylinders. Our dynamic simulations reveal that the random copolymer brushes grafted on the unpatterned area exhibit a remarkable self-responsive ability with respect to the self-assembly of the diblock copolymers overlying them, which may widen the effective window of the content of the random copolymer. Within the processing windows of these key parameters, defect-free patterns are successfully achieved both in simulations and in experiments with sizes as large as a few micrometers for 4-fold density multiplications. This work demonstrates that highly efficient computer simulations based on an effective model can provide helpful guidance for experiments to optimize the critical parameters and even may promote the application of DSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingliang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qingshu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shuoqiu Tian
- Nanolithography and Application Research Group, School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yifang Chen
- Nanolithography and Application Research Group, School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shengxiang Ji
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5625 Renmin Street, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Shisheng Xiong
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Weihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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3
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Shao J, Jiang N, Zhang H, Yang Y, Tang P. Target-Directed Design of Phase Transition Path for Complex Structures of Rod-Coil Block Copolymers. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:20367-20380. [PMID: 31815241 PMCID: PMC6894153 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We apply the string method to the self-consistent mean-field theory framework of the rod-coil block copolymer system to calculate the minimum energy pathways in the rearrangement transitions of lamellae and cylinders with different orientations under certain epitaxial growth relationship. Metastable phases appearing in the reordering transition pathway tend to form the structure at low χN side of the order-order transition boundary compared with the initial phase. In particular, for complex network, metastable phases, such as single gyroid and perforated lamellae, need to select a rearrangement transition between lamellae or cylinders near the order-disorder transition boundary with the same epitaxial growth relationship but different orientations. It is confirmed that this strategy for obtaining complex metastable phases by rational design of rearrangement transition between specific phases in the phase diagram can be applied to a wide range of χN as well as the coil-coil block copolymer system. We further investigate the rearrangement transition behavior combining with the analysis of contribution from the free energy, entropy, degree of mixing between different blocks, and the average orientation degree of rods during the phase transitions. Based on this mechanism, we have developed a target-directed design strategy for constructing self-assembled metastable structures of rod-coil block copolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular
Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Nuofei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular
Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hongdong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular
Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yuliang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular
Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ping Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular
Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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4
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Zhang R, Zhang L, Lin J, Lin S. Customizing topographical templates for aperiodic nanostructures of block copolymers via inverse design. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:7781-7788. [PMID: 30931439 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp00712a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The limited complexity of self-assembled nanostructures of block copolymers seriously impedes their potential utility in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, the customizability of complex nanostructures has been a long-standing goal for the utilization of directed self-assembly in nanolithography. Herein, we integrated an advanced inverse design algorithm with a well-developed theoretical model to deduce inverse solutions of topographical templates to direct the self-assembly of block copolymers into reproducible target structures. The deduced templates were optimized by finely tuning the input parameters of the inverse design algorithm and through symmetric operation as well as nanopost elimination. More importantly, our developed algorithm has the capability to search inverse solutions of topographical templates for aperiodic nanostructures over exceptionally large areas. These results reveal design rules for guiding templates for the device-oriented nanostructures of block copolymers with prospective applications in nanolithography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runrong Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
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5
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Man X, Tang J, Zhou P, Yan D, Andelman D. Lamellar Diblock Copolymers on Rough Substrates: Self-Consistent Field Theory Studies. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pan Zhou
- Department
of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Dadong Yan
- Department
of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - David Andelman
- Raymond and
Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
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6
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Cao X, Zhang L, Gu J, Wang L, Lin J. Designing three-dimensional ordered structures from directed self-assembly of block copolymer films in topographical templates. POLYMER 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Izumi K, Laachi N, Man X, Delaney KT, Fredrickson GH. Self-consistent field theory of directed self-assembly on chemically prepatterned surfaces. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1117/12.2045917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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8
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Ye X, Edwards BJ, Khomami B. Block Copolymer Morphology Formation on Topographically Complex Surfaces: A Self-Consistent Field Theoretical Study. Macromol Rapid Commun 2014; 35:702-7. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201300800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xianggui Ye
- Materials Research and Innovation Laboratory (MRAIL), Sustainable Energy Education and Research Center (SEERC), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA
| | - Brian J. Edwards
- Materials Research and Innovation Laboratory (MRAIL), Sustainable Energy Education and Research Center (SEERC), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA
| | - Bamin Khomami
- Materials Research and Innovation Laboratory (MRAIL), Sustainable Energy Education and Research Center (SEERC), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996 USA
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Man X, Andelman D, Orland H. Block copolymer films with free interfaces: ordering by nanopatterned substrates. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2012; 86:010801. [PMID: 23005359 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.86.010801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2011] [Revised: 11/30/2011] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We study block copolymers (BCPs) on patterned substrates, where the top polymer film surface is not constrained but is free and can adapt its shape self-consistently. In particular, we investigate the combined effect of free interface undulations with wetting of the BCP film as induced by nanopatterned substrates. Under wetting conditions and for a finite volume of BCP material, we find equilibrium droplets composed of coexisting perpendicular and parallel lamellar domains. The self-assembly of BCPs on topographic patterned substrates is also investigated and it is found that the free interface induces mixed morphologies of parallel and perpendicular domains coupled with a nonflat free interface. Our study has some interesting consequences for experimental setups of graphoepitaxy and nanoimprint lithography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingkun Man
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
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10
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Thébault P, Niedermayer S, Landis S, Chaix N, Guenoun P, Daillant J, Man X, Andelman D, Orland H. Tailoring nanostructures using copolymer nanoimprint lithography. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2012; 24:1952-1955. [PMID: 22434566 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201103532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The generation of defect-free polymer nanostructures by nanoimprinting methods is described. Long-range nanorheology and shorter-range surface energy effects can be efficiently combined to provide alignment of copolymer lamellae over several micrometers. As an example, a perpendicular organization with respect to circular tracks is shown, demonstrating the possibility of writing ordered radial nanostructures over large distances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Thébault
- CEA, IRAMIS, SIS2M LIONS, CNRS, UMR n° 3299, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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11
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Ramírez-Hernández A, Liu G, Nealey PF, de Pablo JJ. Symmetric Diblock Copolymers Confined by Two Nanopatterned Surfaces. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma2026594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abelardo Ramírez-Hernández
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,
United States
| | - Guoliang Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,
United States
| | - Paul F. Nealey
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,
United States
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706,
United States
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12
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Zou Z, He X, Wang L. Phase segregation of a symmetric diblock copolymer in constrained space with a square-pillar array. J Chem Phys 2012; 136:074902. [PMID: 22360259 DOI: 10.1063/1.3685220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we apply a self-consistent field theory of polymers to study the structures of a symmetric diblock copolymer in parallel substrates filled with square-pillar arrays in which the substrates and pillars exhibit a weak preference for one block of the copolymer. Three classes of structures, i.e., lamellae, perpendicular cylinders, and bicontinuous structures, are achieved by varying the polymer film thickness, the pillar pitch (the distance between two centers of the nearest neighboring pillars), the gap and rotation of the pillars. Because of the confinement along horizontal directions imposed by the pillar array, eight novel types of perpendicular lamellar structures and eight novel types of cylindrical structures with various shapes and distributions occur. In the hybridization states of the parallel and perpendicular lamellar structures, several novel bicontinuous structures such as the double-cylinder network, pseudo-lamellae, and perforated lamellar structure are also found. By comparing the free energies of the various possible structures, the antisymmetric parallel lamellae are observed to be stable with the larger pillar gap at a certain film thickness. The structural transformations between the alternating cylindrical structures (alternating cross-shaped, square-shaped, and octagonal perpendicular cylinders) and parallel lamellae with increasing film thickness or pillar gap are well explained by the modified strong separation theory. Our results indicate that array confinement can be an effective method to prepare novel polymeric nanopattern structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiang Zou
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
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13
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Gonnella G, Lamura A, Tiribocchi A. Thermal and hydrodynamic effects in the ordering of lamellar fluids. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2011; 369:2592-2599. [PMID: 21576175 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2011.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Phase separation in a complex fluid with lamellar order has been studied in the case of cold thermal fronts propagating diffusively from external walls. The velocity hydrodynamic modes are taken into account by coupling the convection-diffusion equation for the order parameter to a generalized Navier-Stokes equation. The dynamical equations are simulated by implementing a hybrid method based on a lattice Boltzmann algorithm coupled to finite difference schemes. Simulations show that the ordering process occurs with morphologies depending on the speed of the thermal fronts or, equivalently, on the value of the thermal conductivity ξ. At large values of ξ, as in instantaneous quenching, the system is frozen in entangled configurations at high viscosity while it consists of grains with well-ordered lamellae at low viscosity. By decreasing the value of ξ, a regime with very ordered lamellae parallel to the thermal fronts is found. At very low values of ξ the preferred orientation is perpendicular to the walls in d=2, while perpendicular order is lost moving far from the walls in d=3.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Gonnella
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Bari, and INFN, Sezione di Bari, Via Amendola 173, 70126 Bari, Italy
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Man X, Andelman D, Orland H, Thébault P, Liu PH, Guenoun P, Daillant J, Landis S. Organization of Block Copolymers using NanoImprint Lithography: Comparison of Theory and Experiments. Macromolecules 2011. [DOI: 10.1021/ma102292v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xingkun Man
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - David Andelman
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Henri Orland
- Institut de Physique Théorique, CE-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Pascal Thébault
- IRAMIS, LIONS, UMR SIS2M 3299 CEA-CNRS, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Pang-Hung Liu
- IRAMIS, LIONS, UMR SIS2M 3299 CEA-CNRS, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Patrick Guenoun
- IRAMIS, LIONS, UMR SIS2M 3299 CEA-CNRS, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Jean Daillant
- IRAMIS, LIONS, UMR SIS2M 3299 CEA-CNRS, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Stefan Landis
- CEA, LETI, Minatec, 17 rue des martyrs, F-38054, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
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