Polymer Effects on Acid Generation Efficiency Using EUV and DUV Exposures

Conference · Tue May 30 04:00:00 EDT 2000

OSTI ID:758913

Dentinger, P

Thin resist films (< 1500 {angstrom}) based on DUV chemical approaches have been demonstrated for use in EUV lithography. Resists with good sensitivity (5--6 mJ/cm{sup 2}) were observed but imaging mechanisms, in particular as they affect sensitivity, are poorly understood. To clarify mechanisms leading to photosensitivity, acid-generation efficiency at both EUV and DUV wavelengths was measured for the most promising EUV resist compositions as well as initial radiation damage experiments. In previous work, polymer composition was found to be more important in determining the relative dose to print of resists to EUV and DUV radiation than was PAG composition. Here, acid generating efficiency for several polymers upon exposure to EUV and DW are compared to gain insight into the role of the polymer and PAG in converting the incident EUV photon energy into resist images. It is shown that acid generation efficiencies at EUV do not track efficiencies measured on identical films with DUV exposures, and is attributable to polymer and polymer/PAG interactions. No particular structural feature of the polymer could be correlated to the acid generation results. Radiation damage studies showed that polymers that create acid in different yields at EUV do not show differences in radiation damage, as detected by dissolution rate changes. In addition, it is shown that no significant dissolution altering mechanisms occur with EW radiation at relevant exposure doses. The authors conclude that photospeed differences between EUV and DUV are quantitatively attributable to acid generation efficiencies for the compositions studied.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 758913
• Report Number(s): SAND2000-8763C
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
DISSOLUTION
INORGANIC ACIDS
MASKING
PHOTOSENSITIVITY
POLYMERS
SYNTHESIS
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION