Surface affinity role in graphoepitaxy of lamellar block copolymers

Overcoming the optical limitations of 193-nm immersion lithography can be achieved using directed self-assembly (DSA) of block-copolymers (BCPs) as a low-cost and versatile complementary technique. The goal of this paper is to investigate the potential of DSA to address line and space (L/S) high-resolution patterning by performing the density multiplication of lines with the graphoepitaxy approach. As surface affinity is a key parameter in self-assembly, three variations, or “flavors,” of DSA template affinity are investigated regarding several success criteria such as morphology control or defectivity. More precisely, both the methodology to register DSA defects and the impact of process parameters on defectivity are detailed. Using the 300-mm pilot line available in LETI and Arkema’s advanced materials, we investigate process optimization of DSA line/space patterning of a 38-nm period lamellar PS- b -PMMA BCP (L38). Our integration scheme is based on BCP self-assembly inside organic hard mask guiding patterns obtained using 193i-nm lithography. Defect analysis coupled with the fine tuning of process parameters (annealing, brush material) provided the optimum conditions for the L38 self-assembly. Using such conditions, DSA using the three affinity flavors is investigated by means of SEM top-view and cross-section review. Lithographic performances of one selected flavor are then evaluated with the comparison of process windows function of either commensurability, morphology, or roughness. This work is meant as a guideline for the graphoepitaxy optimization of materials and process parameters on a 300-mm platform.