Design and optimization of lithographic materials and processing

Abstract

Photoresist or resist is the photosensitive material used for patterning or lithographic process for the fabrication of integrated circuit (IC) devices. This project is focused on the material aspects of the chemically amplified resists and related substrates. The critical lithographic process capability is discussed in terms of pattern fidelity a?? lateral dimension and sidewall profile, etch resistance and the overlay accuracy between levels in IC fabrication. In this study, a method to determine diffusivity of photoacid, which affects lateral resolution capability of photoresist has been demonstrated. Experimental work has shown that the sidewall profile can be stabilized by modifying the substrate and increase in etch resistance can be achieved by ion implantation. Overlay accuracy can be improved through pattern placement accuracy in electron-beam writing of mask. In this research, resist formulation has been doped with some novel chromophoric polymers to generate the fiducial grids for direct referencing.