Formation of Deprotected Fuzzy Blobs in Chemically Amplified Resists

Published

September 1, 2004

Author(s)

Ronald L. Jones, C G. Willson, T Hu, Eric K. Lin, Wen-Li Wu, D L. Goldfarb, M Angelopoulos, B C. Trinque, G M. Schmidt, M D. Stewart

Abstract

The requirement of nanometer dimensional control in photolithographic patterning underlies the future of emerging technologies including next generation semiconductors, nanofluidics, photonics, and microelectronic machines (MEMs). Dimensional control is dictated by the diffusion and reaction of photogenerated acids within a polymer based photoresist matrix. The complex nature of the combined processes of reaction and diffusion prohibit routine measurement of the phenomenon. As a result, models of acid diffusion-reaction are numerous and often contradictory. Using Small Angle Neutron Scattering, we provide the form of the diffusion-reaction path of a photogenerated acid within a model photoresist matrix with a labeled protection group on the polymer side group. During the deprotection reaction, the resulting change in the scattering form factor results from the shape and form of the deprotected regions. The individual volumes, or blobs of reacted material are characterized as diffuse, with a fuzzy boundary between reacted and unreacted regions. The impact of these results on pattern quality is also discussed.

Citation

Journal of Polymer Science Part B-Polymer Physics

Volume

42

Issue

No. 17

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

neutron scattering, photoeresists, reaction diffusion

Citation

Jones, R. , Willson, C. , Hu, T. , Lin, E. , Wu, W. , Goldfarb, D. , Angelopoulos, M. , Trinque, B. , Schmidt, G. and Stewart, M. (2004), Formation of Deprotected Fuzzy Blobs in Chemically Amplified Resists, Journal of Polymer Science Part B-Polymer Physics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=852245 (Accessed October 9, 2025)