NEW SINGLE-LAYER POSITIVE RESISTS FOR 193-NM AND 248-NM LITHOGRAPHY USING METHACRYLATE POLYMERS

The quest for a high-performance, positive, chemically amplified (CA) resist is challenging. Two approaches discussed in this paper utilize a new and versatile class of acid-labile methacrylate polymers [1]. Me thacrylate terpolymers, originally designed as chemically amplified po sitive resists for printed circuit board technology, were found to hav e excellent optical transmission at 193 nm. Here they serve as the bas is for a high-resolution single-layer resist for 193-nm imaging. These terpolymers also form stable, one-phase mixtures with a variety of ph enolic resins and strongly inhibit the dissolution of phenolics in aqu eous base. The new dissolution inhibitors based on acid-labile methacr ylate terpolymer's have unusual and useful properties, including excel lent optical transmission at 248 nm, high glass transition temperature s, and dissolution inhibition/promotion power which can be tailored to accommodate the dissolution characteristics of a wide variety of phen olic resins.