ANALYZING THE DISSOLUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF DEEP UV CHEMICALLY AMPLIFIED PHOTORESIST

The dissolution characteristics of poly(hydroxystyrene)-based, chemica lly amplified (CA) photoresists for the deep uv are examined. It is sh own that recently reported characteristics' found in DNQ/novolac-based conventional resists are also present in PHS-based, CA resist, includ ing the so-called development notch and the variation of dissolution c haracteristics as a function of depth into resist film. Inclusion of t hese anomalies into the development step of the optical lithography si mulator, PROLITH/2(2), gives improved simulation accuracy. Simulation of CA e-beam resists(3) which utilise the same chemistry should also b enefit from the improvements described.