Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique

Hae In Kwon; Yun Jong Jang; Kyoung Chan Kim; Hong Seong Gil; Ju Young Kim; Seong Hyun Ryu; Do Seong Pyun; Dae Whan Kim; Woo Chang Park; Ji Yeon Lee; Jin Woo Park; Sang Wuk Park; Geun Young Yeom

doi:10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x

Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique

Hae In Kwon, Yun Jong Jang, Kyoung Chan Kim, Hong Seong Gil, Ju Young Kim, Seong Hyun Ryu, Do Seong Pyun, Dae Whan Kim, Woo Chang Park, Ji Yeon Lee, Jin Woo Park, Sang Wuk Park, Geun Young Yeom

Department of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

EUV lithography technology, applied in nano-patterning processes, enables the creation of fine patterns below 10 nm. However, issues still remain due to the reduced etch selectivity and increased line edge roughness (LER) caused by the thin thickness and weakness of organic EUV photoresist (PR). In this study, research was conducted to improve the low etch selectivity and high LER using a novel grid pulsed ion beam etching technique. In this system, Ar/H₂ plasma is generated in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and the Ar⁺/H_x⁺ ion beam is irradiated while fluorocarbon gas is injected into the process chamber. Grid pulsing technique increases the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR while improving LER. With a 50% duty ratio and optimal gas flow conditions (Ar:H₂ ratio = 1:3 to the ion beam source and CF₄:C₄F₈ = 1:1), the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR approached ∞ while maintaining the LER close to the reference.

Original language	English
Article number	19920
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x
State	Published - Dec 2025

Keywords

EUV PR
Etch selectivity
Grid pulsing
Ion beam etching
LER
SiON

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10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x

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title = "Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique",

abstract = "EUV lithography technology, applied in nano-patterning processes, enables the creation of fine patterns below 10 nm. However, issues still remain due to the reduced etch selectivity and increased line edge roughness (LER) caused by the thin thickness and weakness of organic EUV photoresist (PR). In this study, research was conducted to improve the low etch selectivity and high LER using a novel grid pulsed ion beam etching technique. In this system, Ar/H2 plasma is generated in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and the Ar+/Hx+ ion beam is irradiated while fluorocarbon gas is injected into the process chamber. Grid pulsing technique increases the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR while improving LER. With a 50\% duty ratio and optimal gas flow conditions (Ar:H2 ratio = 1:3 to the ion beam source and CF4:C4F8 = 1:1), the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR approached ∞ while maintaining the LER close to the reference.",

keywords = "EUV PR, Etch selectivity, Grid pulsing, Ion beam etching, LER, SiON",

author = "Kwon, \{Hae In\} and Jang, \{Yun Jong\} and Kim, \{Kyoung Chan\} and Gil, \{Hong Seong\} and Kim, \{Ju Young\} and Ryu, \{Seong Hyun\} and Pyun, \{Do Seong\} and Kim, \{Dae Whan\} and Park, \{Woo Chang\} and Lee, \{Ji Yeon\} and Park, \{Jin Woo\} and Park, \{Sang Wuk\} and Yeom, \{Geun Young\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Nature Research",

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T1 - Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique

AU - Kwon, Hae In

AU - Jang, Yun Jong

AU - Kim, Kyoung Chan

AU - Gil, Hong Seong

AU - Kim, Ju Young

AU - Ryu, Seong Hyun

AU - Pyun, Do Seong

AU - Kim, Dae Whan

AU - Park, Woo Chang

AU - Lee, Ji Yeon

AU - Park, Jin Woo

AU - Park, Sang Wuk

AU - Yeom, Geun Young

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - EUV lithography technology, applied in nano-patterning processes, enables the creation of fine patterns below 10 nm. However, issues still remain due to the reduced etch selectivity and increased line edge roughness (LER) caused by the thin thickness and weakness of organic EUV photoresist (PR). In this study, research was conducted to improve the low etch selectivity and high LER using a novel grid pulsed ion beam etching technique. In this system, Ar/H2 plasma is generated in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and the Ar+/Hx+ ion beam is irradiated while fluorocarbon gas is injected into the process chamber. Grid pulsing technique increases the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR while improving LER. With a 50% duty ratio and optimal gas flow conditions (Ar:H2 ratio = 1:3 to the ion beam source and CF4:C4F8 = 1:1), the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR approached ∞ while maintaining the LER close to the reference.

AB - EUV lithography technology, applied in nano-patterning processes, enables the creation of fine patterns below 10 nm. However, issues still remain due to the reduced etch selectivity and increased line edge roughness (LER) caused by the thin thickness and weakness of organic EUV photoresist (PR). In this study, research was conducted to improve the low etch selectivity and high LER using a novel grid pulsed ion beam etching technique. In this system, Ar/H2 plasma is generated in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and the Ar+/Hx+ ion beam is irradiated while fluorocarbon gas is injected into the process chamber. Grid pulsing technique increases the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR while improving LER. With a 50% duty ratio and optimal gas flow conditions (Ar:H2 ratio = 1:3 to the ion beam source and CF4:C4F8 = 1:1), the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR approached ∞ while maintaining the LER close to the reference.

KW - EUV PR

KW - Etch selectivity

KW - Grid pulsing

KW - Ion beam etching

KW - LER

KW - SiON

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007448565

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x

DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-04632-x

M3 - Article

C2 - 40481140

AN - SCOPUS:105007448565

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 15

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

M1 - 19920

ER -

Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique

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