Study of electron-induced chemical transformations in polymers

Maximillian Mueller; Terry McAfee; Patrick Naulleau; Dahyun Oh; Oleg Kostko

doi:10.1117/1.JMM.23.4.041403

16 July 2024 Study of electron-induced chemical transformations in polymers

Maximillian Mueller, Terry McAfee, Patrick Naulleau, Dahyun Oh, Oleg Kostko

Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology, Vol. 23, Issue 4, 041403 (July 2024). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.23.4.041403

Abstract

Background

In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist exposure, the primary and secondary electrons drive chemistry rather than the EUV photons themselves. These electrons have a wide range of energies below approximately 80 eV, which are capable of complex network of reactions during exposure.

Aim

To better understand the ability of electrons of different energies within the EUV primary and secondary electron range, we want to characterize and compare the chemistry induced in pure polymer films by direct exposure to electrons.

Approach

Thin films of poly(tert-butyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate), and poly(4-hydroxystyrene) were exposed to a 20 to 80 eV electron beam. Outgassing during exposure was characterized in-situ using a quadrupole residual gas analyzer. The thickness changes were measured using ellipsometry and chemical bond structure data were collected using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) after exposure to compare different exposure conditions.

Results

Poly(4-hydroxystyrene) demonstrated stability during electron exposures. Exposures of the other two materials led to outgassing of protecting groups, the intensity of which decayed in time. Outgassing, FTIR, and thickness loss data exhibited approximately linear relationships to each other.

Citation Download Citation

Maximillian Mueller, Terry McAfee, Patrick Naulleau, Dahyun Oh, and Oleg Kostko "Study of electron-induced chemical transformations in polymers," Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 23(4), 041403 (16 July 2024). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.23.4.041403

Received: 30 April 2024; Accepted: 24 June 2024; Published: 16 July 2024

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KEYWORDS

Electrons

Outgassing

Polymethylmethacrylate

Polymers

Film thickness

Chemistry

FT-IR spectroscopy

Background

Aim

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