Strategies to enable directed self-assembly contact hole shrink for tight pitches

In recent years major advancements have been made in the directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCP). DSA is now widely regarded as a leading complementary patterning technique for future node integrated circuit (IC) device manufacturing and is considered for the 7 nm node. One of the most straightforward approaches for implementation of DSA is via patterning by graphoepitaxy. In this approach, the guiding pattern dictates the location and pitch of the resulting hole structures while the material properties of the BCP control the feature size and uniformity. Tight pitches need to be available for a successful implementation of DSA for future node via patterning which requires DSA in small guiding pattern CDs. Here, we show strategies how to enable the desired CD shrink in these small guiding pattern vias by utilizing high χ block copolymers and/or controlling the surface properties of the template, i.e. sidewall and bottom affinity to the blocks.