Thin layer imaging process for microlithography using radiation at strongly attenuated wavelengths

Patent · Tue Jan 06 04:00:00 EST 2004

OSTI ID:1174664

Wheeler, David R.

A method for patterning of resist surfaces which is particularly advantageous for systems having low photon flux and highly energetic, strongly attenuated radiation. A thin imaging layer is created with uniform silicon distribution in a bilayer format. An image is formed by exposing selected regions of the silylated imaging layer to radiation. The radiation incident upon the silyliated resist material results in acid generation which either catalyzes cleavage of Si--O bonds to produce moieties that are volatile enough to be driven off in a post exposure bake step or produces a resist material where the exposed portions of the imaging layer are soluble in a basic solution, thereby desilylating the exposed areas of the imaging layer. The process is self limiting due to the limited quantity of silyl groups within each region of the pattern. Following the post exposure bake step, an etching step, generally an oxygen plasma etch, removes the resist material from the de-silylated areas of the imaging layer.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: EUV LLC (Santa Clara, CA)
• Patent Number(s): 6,673,525
• Application Number: 09/510,726
• OSTI ID: 1174664
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY