Making Microchips with a Silicon-Containing Photoresist Layer
This patent describes a method for precisely creating tiny patterns on microchips using a special light-sensitive material, called a photoresist, that contains silicon and changes its properties when exposed to light.
Original patent title: “Silicon-containing photoresist for lithography”
This patent describes a method for precisely creating tiny patterns on microchips using a special light-sensitive material, called a photoresist, that contains silicon and changes its properties when exposed to light. Granted to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC in 2019 with 22 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a method for creating extremely small patterns on a substrate, like a silicon wafer for computer chips. First, a base polymeric material layer is applied to the substrate, then a photoresist layer is formed on top of it (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). This photoresist is special because it includes a polymer backbone, an acid labile group (ALG) that has a silicon-containing unit attached, and a photo-acid generator (PAG) (Claim 1). When light (radiation) hits the photoresist, the PAG creates acid, which then reacts with the ALG, changing the photoresist's chemical properties, for example, from nonpolar to polar (Claim 12). This change allows specific parts of the photoresist to be washed away during a developing process, leaving behind a precise pattern (Claim 3). Crucially, the base layer and the photoresist layer are designed to have different optical properties, like how they reflect or absorb light, which helps improve the patterning accuracy (Claim 11).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Photoresists that do not include a silicon-containing unit chemically bonded to an acid labile group.
- Methods where the acid labile group is not norbornane, adamantine, or a derivative thereof.
- Lithography processes that do not involve forming a photoresist layer over a separate polymeric material layer with different optical properties.
- Photoresist compositions where the silicon-containing unit is not chemically bonded to the acid labile group.
- Developing processes that remove unexposed portions of the photoresist, unless the exposing process changes the resist from polar to nonpolar (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 3 vs 13).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in chemically integrating a silicon-containing unit directly into the acid labile group of the photoresist polymer. This specific chemical structure, combined with the use of a separate optical layer, aims to improve patterning resolution and etching resistance for making smaller, more detailed features on microchips.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes
EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography materials
Memory chip fabrication
Processor chip fabrication
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is assigned to TSMC, a leading semiconductor manufacturer. The ability to create ever smaller and more precise patterns is fundamental to advancing microchip technology, allowing for more powerful and efficient processors. Photoresists are critical materials in this process, and innovations in their chemistry directly impact the limits of chip manufacturing. While this specific patent has no forward citationsforward citationsLater patents that cite this one as prior art. High counts signal foundational influence.Read more →, it represents ongoing research into advanced photoresist materials needed for next-generation lithography.
Filed
December 11, 2017
Granted
May 7, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is a global leader in semiconductor fabrication and continues to invest heavily in advanced lithography materials and processes. Other major players in photoresist development include companies like JSR Corporation, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), Shin-Etsu Chemical, and DuPont, who continuously innovate in this space to meet the demands of shrinking chip features.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing evolution of semiconductor manufacturing, enabling the production of smaller, more powerful, and energy-efficient microchips. Innovations in photoresist chemistry are crucial for extending Moore's Law, allowing chipmakers like TSMC to achieve higher transistor densities. While this specific patent's direct market impact is not evident from its zero forward citationsforward citationsLater patents that cite this one as prior art. High counts signal foundational influence.Read more →, the underlying technology area is vital for the entire electronics industry, influencing everything from smartphones to AI accelerators.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a method for creating extremely small patterns on a substrate, like a silicon wafer for computer chips. First, a base polymeric material layer is applied to the substrate, then a photoresist layer is formed on top of it (Claim 1). This photoresist is special because it includes a polymer backbone, an acid labile group (ALG) that has a silicon-containing unit attached, and a photo-acid generator (PAG) (Claim 1). When light (radiation) hits the photoresist, the PAG creates acid, which then reacts with the ALG, changing the photoresist's chemical properties, for example, from nonpolar to polar (Claim 12). This change allows specific parts of the photoresist to be washed away during a developing process, leaving behind a precise pattern (Claim 3). Crucially, the base layer and the photoresist layer are designed to have different optical properties, like how they reflect or absorb light, which helps improve the patterning accuracy (Claim 11).
The clever bit
The novelty lies in chemically integrating a silicon-containing unit directly into the acid labile group of the photoresist polymer. This specific chemical structure, combined with the use of a separate optical layer, aims to improve patterning resolution and etching resistance for making smaller, more detailed features on microchips.
What it does not cover
- Photoresists that do not include a silicon-containing unit chemically bonded to an acid labile group.
- Methods where the acid labile group is not norbornane, adamantine, or a derivative thereof.
- Lithography processes that do not involve forming a photoresist layer over a separate polymeric material layer with different optical properties.
- Photoresist compositions where the silicon-containing unit is not chemically bonded to the acid labile group.
- Developing processes that remove unexposed portions of the photoresist, unless the exposing process changes the resist from polar to nonpolar (Claim 3 vs 13).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$37K – $117K
Midpoint $73K · 11.2 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Lin, L., & Chang, C. (2019). Making Microchips with a Silicon-Containing Photoresist Layer (U.S. Patent No. 10,281,819). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10281819/silicon-containing-photoresist-for-lithography
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Making Microchips with a Silicon-Containing Photoresist Layer cover?
This patent describes a method for precisely creating tiny patterns on microchips using a special light-sensitive material, called a photoresist, that contains silicon and changes its properties when exposed to light.
Who owns patent US 10281819?
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 11, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is assigned to TSMC, a leading semiconductor manufacturer. The ability to create ever smaller and more precise patterns is fundamental to advancing microchip technology, allowing for more powerful and efficient processors. Photoresists are critical materials in this process, and innovations in their chemistry directly impact the limits of chip manufacturing. While this specific patent has no forward citations, it represents ongoing research into advanced photoresist materials needed for next-generation lithography.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Photoresists that do not include a silicon-containing unit chemically bonded to an acid labile group.
Same assignee
More from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC
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