Mesoscale simulation of molecular glass photoresists: effect of PAG loading and acid diffusion coefficient

Richard A. Lawson; Cheng-Tsung Lee; Wang Yueh; Laren Tolbert; Clifford L. Henderson

doi:10.1117/12.774619

26 March 2008 Mesoscale simulation of molecular glass photoresists: effect of PAG loading and acid diffusion coefficient

Richard A. Lawson, Cheng-Tsung Lee, Wang Yueh, Laren Tolbert, Clifford L. Henderson

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6923, Advances in Resist Materials and Processing Technology XXV; 69230Q (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.774619
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

A mesoscale model of molecular resists has been created and implemented that allows for the investigation of the effect of material composition and physiochemical properties, such as PAG loading and photoacid diffusion coefficient, on the lithographic performance (i.e. resolution, line edge roughness, and sensitivity or as commonly referred to "RLS") of molecular glass photoresists. This model is shown to produce results that are in good agreement with many of the conventional LER scaling arguments. In cases where critical dimension is not held constant, it was found that higher photoacid diffusion improves LER at low acid concentrations, but induces higher LER at high acid concentration as compared to smaller diffusion coefficients. Increased PAG loadings were found to provide comparatively lower LER at the same resolution and sensitivity as lower PAG loadings, or alternatively to provide better sensitivity at the same resolution and LER as lower PAG loadings. Even at ultra-high PAG loadings, CARs were found to exhibit RLS limitations. By normalizing all PAG loadings by the total amount of acid produced, it is shown that LER is controlled primarily by photoacid concentration in the resist at the imaging dose for the case where constant critical dimension is maintained with no use of base quencher in the resist. Thus, the most direct and functional scaling argument for LER under such cases is, which is similar to the more common scaling arguments that state, but as this work shows it is more universal to state that which automatically normalizes for different PAG loadings and photoreaction rate constants across different resist formulations.

Citation Download Citation

Richard A. Lawson, Cheng-Tsung Lee, Wang Yueh, Laren Tolbert, and Clifford L. Henderson "Mesoscale simulation of molecular glass photoresists: effect of PAG loading and acid diffusion coefficient", Proc. SPIE 6923, Advances in Resist Materials and Processing Technology XXV, 69230Q (26 March 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.774619

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available