CHEMICALLY AMPLIFIED SOFT-X-RAY RESISTS - SENSITIVITY, RESOLUTION, AND MOLECULAR PHOTODESORPTION

The sensitivity, ion photodesorption, and lithographic performance of selected novolac-based chemically amplified resists have been studied at an exposure wavelength of 140 angstrom. Flood exposures of the resi ts AZ PF514, AZ PN114, and SAL 601 yield D0.9 values of 2.5-3.5 mJ/cm2 for 0.25-mum-thick films. Contrast values range from 3 for AZ PN114 t o 5 for SAL 601. Photodesorption of fragment ions induced by 140-angst rom radiation has been examined in AZ PN114 by using time-of-flight ma ss spectrometry and compared with poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA). Mas s-integrated ion desorption yields from AZ PN114 are found to be appro ximately 90 times less per exposure than from PMMA. Soft-x-ray project ion in AZ PF514 and SAL 601 has been characterized by use of a multila yer-coated 20 x Schwarzschild objective and a transmissive Ge/Si mask illuminated by a laser plasma source.