国内团队称破解芯片光刻缺陷难题

Core Viewpoint - Recent breakthroughs in photoresist technology by a research team from Peking University have led to significant improvements in semiconductor manufacturing, particularly in reducing pattern defects by over 99% [3][7]. Group 1: Research Breakthroughs - The research team, led by Professor Peng Hailin, published a paper in Nature Communications introducing Cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) to analyze the micro-3D structure of photoresist molecules in liquid environments [3][6]. - The study revealed that controlling the entanglement of polymer chains in photoresist during the development process is crucial for minimizing surface defects [6][7]. - By increasing the post-exposure bake (PEB) temperature to 105°C, the polymer chains tend to disentangle, which helps reduce defects on 12-inch wafers [6][7]. Group 2: Industry Implications - The global semiconductor photoresist market is projected to grow from approximately $2.685 billion in 2024 to $4.547 billion by 2031, indicating a strong demand for advanced photoresist materials [11]. - Major players in the photoresist market include Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, JSR, and Shin-Etsu Chemical, with the top five companies holding about 86% of the market share as of 2023 [11]. - Domestic companies are making strides in mid-to-low-end products and are investing in the development of EUV photoresists to enhance local production capabilities [11]. Group 3: Future Directions - There is a need for interdisciplinary collaboration between industry and academia to further reduce manufacturing defects in semiconductor production [10][11]. - The research community is encouraged to focus on EUV photoresist technology to catch up with international advancements, as domestic researchers are currently in a position of catching up [11].