A Dual-Tone Chemically Amplified Molecular Photoresist for Multi-Purpose Lithography

doi:10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.240036

Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (7): 1024-1034.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.240036

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A Dual-Tone Chemically Amplified Molecular Photoresist for Multi-Purpose Lithography

Xiao-Dong YUAN¹^,², Jin-Ping CHEN¹^,²(), Tian-Jun YU¹, Yi ZENG¹^,², Yi LI¹^,²()

^1.Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials，Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100190，China
^2.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100049，China

Received:2024-02-01 Accepted:2024-05-07 Published:2024-07-01 Online:2024-08-03
Contact: Jin-Ping CHEN,Yi LI
About author:yili@mail.ipc.ac.cn
chenjp@mail.ipc.ac.cn
Supported by:
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22090012)

1. .pdf(523KB)

Abstract

Abstract:

Chemically amplified photoresists （CARs） are widely used in photolithography due to their excellent performance in resolution and sensitivity. This paper reports a CAR （SP8-PAG_AN） based on molecule glass of SP8-Boc and photo-acid generator of N-hydroxytrifluoromethylsulfonate anthracene-1，9-dicarboxyimide. The SP8-PAG_AN photoresist can be used for both 365 nm lithography and electron beam lithography （EBL）. The quantum efficiency of acid generation （ $Φ$ _H+） for the PAG_AN is 23% under 365 nm excitation. 1 μm positive and negative lithographic patterns can be achieved with SP8-PAG_AN photoresist by 365 nm lithography using tetramethylammonium hydroxide （TMAH， 2.38%） aqueous and n-hexane as developers， respectively. A positive 50 nm Line/Space （L/S） dense line pattern （dose 110 μC/cm²）， a 32 nm L/S negative dense line pattern （dose 40 μC/cm²）， and a 19 nm L/3S negative semi-dense line pattern （dose 96 μC/cm²） were achieved by EBL. This study provides a new example of a dual-tone CAR for multi-purpose lithography.

Key words: Chemically amplified photoresist, Dual-tone development, Molecular glass, 365 nm lithography, Electron beam lithography

CLC Number:

O664.2

Xiao-Dong YUAN, Jin-Ping CHEN, Tian-Jun YU, Yi ZENG, Yi LI. A Dual-Tone Chemically Amplified Molecular Photoresist for Multi-Purpose Lithography[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2024, 41(7): 1024-1034.

Figures/Tables 13

Fig.1 Synthesis of PAGAN

Fig.2 Absorption spectra of PAGAN with different concentrations in acetonitrile， the inset shows the fitted curve of absorbance at 365 nm of PAGAN as a function of concentration

Fig.3 Absorption spectra of rhodamine B in acetonitrile with different concentrations of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid； the inset shows the fitted curve of the absorbance at 555 nm of rhodamine B as a function of acid concentration

Fig.4 TGA curve of PAGAN

Fig.5 2D and 3D images of SP8-PAGAN photoresist film （a mass fration of 5.0%PAGAN）

Fig.6 Contrast curves of SP8-PAGAN （5.0%， 7.5%， 10.0% PAGAN） photoresist exposed by 365 nm

Table 1 Contrasts and sensitivities of SP8-PAGAN photoresists （5.0%， 7.5%， 10.0% PAGAN） at 365 nm lithography

	5.0% PAG_AN	7.5% PAG_AN	10.0% PAG_AN
D₀/（mJ·cm^-2）	13.0	11.5	10.2
D₁₀₀/（mJ·cm^-2）	34.1	28.6	23.9
γ	2.38	2.52	2.70

Fig.7 365 nm lithography post-processing process conditions screening of SP8-PAGAN photoresist （10%PAGAN）

Fig.8 365 nm lithography patterns of SP8-PAGAN photoresists （5%， 7.5% and 10% PAGAN）

Fig.9 Negative-tone development contrast curve of SP8-PAGAN photoresist （7.5%PAGAN） at 365 nm exposure

Fig.10 SEM images of 1 μm pattern formed by SP8-PAGAN photoresist （7.5% PAGAN） at different post exposure bake conditions

Fig.11 SEM images of 50 nm line/space patterns for SP8-PAGAN photoresist

Fig.12 SEM image of electron beam lithographic patterns by SP8-PAGAN photoresist （7.5% PAGAN and 10% TOA）

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A Dual-Tone Chemically Amplified Molecular Photoresist for Multi-Purpose Lithography

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