Identifying materials limits of chemically amplified photoresists

Wen-li Wu; Vivek M. Prabhu; Eric K. Lin

doi:10.1117/12.720424

12 April 2007 Identifying materials limits of chemically amplified photoresists

Wen-li Wu, Vivek M. Prabhu, Eric K. Lin

Proceedings Volume 6519, Advances in Resist Materials and Processing Technology XXIV; 651902 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.720424
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2007, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Chemically amplified photoresists are likely to remain the primary imaging materials for the semiconductor industry. As feature sizes decrease to dimensions comparable to the characteristic size of the molecules in the photoresist, a significant challenge lies in identifying the ultimate resolution limit of these materials. To address this challenge, we investigated model photoresist materials with high resolution measurements to examine the effect of individual factors among interdependent process steps on line-edge roughness (LER). Using a bilayer film sample geometry, we measured the internal deprotection interface with nanometer resolution as a function of photoacid size, initial resist copolymer composition, and amine base quencher by neutron reflectivity and infrared spectroscopy. After development, we found that the resist chemistry and additives can play an important role in LER through its influence on acid diffusion. However, these model experiments suggest that there is a limit in LER even with an idealized exposure image contrast and decreases in the width of the reaction-diffusion front. However, there may be opportunities to further decrease LER during development by tuning the response of the photoresist to the developer solution.

Citation Download Citation

Wen-li Wu, Vivek M. Prabhu, and Eric K. Lin "Identifying materials limits of chemically amplified photoresists", Proc. SPIE 6519, Advances in Resist Materials and Processing Technology XXIV, 651902 (12 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.720424

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available