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Midland, Mich. – December 6, 2006 – Dow Corning Corp. and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo
Co., Ltd. (TOK) announced today that they have developed and launched a
commercially available bilayer photoresist that uses a silicon polymer in the
imaging layer, thereby improving etch selectivity to address the demands of
65nm lithography and beyond. The new photoresist’s high silicon content also
eliminates the need for a separate hardmask layer, simplifying sub-65nm
processing.
The breakthrough material marks a critical step forward for the
semiconductor industry, both in terms of photoresist technology and the
extension of 193nm lithography. Incorporating Dow Corning’s innovative silicon
polymer into TOK's photosensitive material enables TOK to introduce a new class
of photoresist. By eliminating the hardmask layer and accompanying
process steps, the new material provides a cost-effective solution for sub-65nm
lithography.
As the semiconductor industry looks to extend 193nm lithography beyond the
45nm node, thin imaging layers are needed to achieve the necessary resolution
and desired process windows. Increased etch selectivity is also required to
successfully transfer smaller circuit patterns onto the target wafer. Current
photoresists based on organic chemistries typically don’t have the required
etch selectivity, so they are often used in conjunction with several other
layers, including a hardmask layer that provides the necessary etch
resistance.
The new photoresist, now available from TOK, also exhibits no detectable
levels of outgassing during the lithography process. Outgassing, the slow
release of chemicals during exposure, has proved problematic for previous
photoresist materials containing silicon, as the silicon released through
outgassing can contaminate the optics in an exposure tool.
“Our joint development with TOK has accomplished something that no one has
been able to do before: incorporate a silicon polymer in a photosensitive
material and avoid problems with outgassing, which have prevented the use of
silicon in photoresists in the past,” said Tomonobu Noguchi, Electronics
&Advanced Technologies marketing director with Dow Corning. “With
next-generation lithography technologies still years away from
commercialization, Dow Corning and TOK are working together to ensure that
optical lithography will be extended beyond the 65nm node.”
The jointly developed photoresist has proved applicable to dry lithography
as well as immersion lithography, an advanced imaging technology that is
gaining market acceptance for the 45nm node and beyond. TOK has successfully
achieved a 35nm line/space pattern using the photoresist under immersion
lithography conditions.
Dow Corning and TOK have had a joint development agreement since 2002 to
develop advanced photolithography materials based on silicon. The collaboration
takes advantage of TOK’s sophisticated microprocess technologies and
application expertise in photolithography, with Dow Corning’s innovation and
manufacturing capability for silicon-based materials. The lithography
development work is being conducted at TOK’s R&D facilities in Kanagawa,
Japan.
About Dow Corning
Dow Corning Corporation (http://www.dowcorning.com/electronics)
is a globally integrated provider of materials, application technology and
services, and is focused on providing innovative technology for all segments of
the electronics industry. Dow Corning has development and applications centers
strategically located throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. The
centers offer advanced resources for electronics materials and services, and
are staffed with experienced professionals who can provide technical support to
customers locally. Dow Corning Corporation is equally owned by The Dow Chemical
Company (NYSE: DOW) and Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW). More than half of Dow
Corning Corporation’s sales are outside the United States.
AboutTokyoOhka Kogyo (TOK)
Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. (http://www.tok.co.jp) supplies an
assortment of manufacturing materials centered around photoresist used in
fabricating semiconductors, flat panel displays, printed wiring boards and
semiconductor packaging, as well as photolithography-related
chemicals. The company also furnishes equipment that is indispensable for
fabricating leading-edge semiconductors, liquid-crystal-display panels and
semiconductor packaging. In addition, TOK offers photopolymer plates and
pre-sensitized plates, which are in widespread use in the printing field, as
well as high-purity chemicals for use by the chemistry, electronics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, and textile industries.
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Dow Corning Contact:
Don Piering
Dow Corning
+1 (989) 496 8972
don.piering@dowcorning.com
Agency Contact:
Bruce Hokanson
Loomis Group
+1 (360) 574 4000
hokanson@loomisgroup.com
TOK Contact:
Junichi Onodera
TEL. +81-467-75-9667
j-onodera@tok.co.jp
Hiroshi Akama
TEL. +81-44-435-3000
h-akama@tok.co.jp
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