An in situ analysis of resist dissolution in alkali-based and organic solvent-based developers using high speed atomic force microscopy

Julius Joseph Santillan; Motoharu Shichiri; Toshiro Itani

doi:10.1117/12.2045886

27 March 2014 An in situ analysis of resist dissolution in alkali-based and organic solvent-based developers using high speed atomic force microscopy

Julius Joseph Santillan, Motoharu Shichiri, Toshiro Itani

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9051, Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XXXI; 90510O (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2045886
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2014, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

This work discusses about the in situ characterization of pattern formation during resist dissolution using a high-speed atomic force microscope. The focus of which is the analysis of the dissolution characteristics of a polyhydroxystryrene (PHS)-methacrylate hybrid resist material during negative-tone development (NTD) with an organic solvent developer in comparison to positive-tone development (PTD) with aqueous alkali-based developers. To further understand how pattern formation occurs for this type of resist in such developers, two versions of the same resist were prepared with low and high polymer resin molecular weights (M_W). Lithographic exposure evaluations of these resists showed that the lower MW resist (×0.4 M_W compared to the high M_W resist) resulted in improved resolution and smoother patterns after development (for both PTD and NTD). During development, HS-AFM in situ analysis results show that a lower MW induces smoother patterns and smaller dissolution units. This was especially distinct during development in NTD. Such results suggest the effect of material MW and its dissolution characteristics on the quality of pattern formed.

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Julius Joseph Santillan, Motoharu Shichiri, and Toshiro Itani "An in situ analysis of resist dissolution in alkali-based and organic solvent-based developers using high speed atomic force microscopy", Proc. SPIE 9051, Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XXXI, 90510O (27 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2045886

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