Objective
It is thus necessary to develop novel photoresists and processes with imaging capability at 193nm and with adequate plasma resistance for both single layer wet- developable and bilayer/surface imaging approaches; this is the goal of this project.
Two non-conventional ideas will be examined and compared for wet-developable single layer photoresists: 1) Post exposure plasma resistance enhancement during a simple step compatible with lithographic processes. This step could be a hard bake, or a flood exposure, which will create chemical functionality with enhanced plasma resistance. Model polymers include poly(vinyl alcohol) and its derivatives. 2) Formulation of plasma resistant blends of an aliphatic polymer, and spectroscopically optimised concentrations of polyaromatic molecules, such as anthracene, which have local minima of absorbency in the 193nm spectral area. Model polymers include poly(hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate), and poly(vinyl alcohol).
Two non-conventional ideas for dry-developable photoresists will be also examined and compared: a) a bilayer scheme based on innovations on silicon containing polymers, and b) Surface imaging of aliphatic polymers - where the imaging depth can be tailored around 50-500 nm, in contrast to aromatic systems where the imaging depth is close to 5 nm. Model polymers include Poly(Hydroxy Ethyl Methacrylate).
The Institute of Microelectronics, at NCSR Demokritos in Greece will have the responsibility of material development, process development, and the final evaluation of the above mentioned ideas. The laser laboratory at NHRF (The National Hellenic Research Foundation) in Greece will be responsible for 193 nm laser contrast curve exposures and 193 nm imageability studies. Exitech Ltd and the Ratherford Laboratory in the UK, will be responsible for patterned exposures and exposure modelling as well as evaluation of materials and processes provided by IMEL- Demokritos.
At the end of the first phase the proposed approaches will have been evaluated and the most promising materials will have been selected. The knowledge will be ready for gradual transfer / joint development with a photoresist manufacturer for further development. At the end of the second phase new photoresist(s) suitable for 193nm lithography are expected to be at the beginning of their commercialisation.
Next generation microelectronics circuits will have minimum dimensions below 180 nm. Such low dimensions demand technological breakthroughs in the area of optical microlithography and related materials. It is envisioned that 193 nm laser lithography will be the next step of optical lithography. However, limited activity is taking place in the area of photoresists needed at the 193 nm wavelength.
Single layer wet-developable photoresists for 193 nm cannot be of the usual aromatic-polymer-based materials, due to formidable light absorption problems at this wavelength. Neither can common aliphatic polymers be used as photoresist materials due to their lack of adequate plasma resistance.
Dry developable materials available commercially are based on the silylation of highly absorbent aromatic type photoresists (light penetrates only in the first 5 nm of the resist). Therefore, process latitudes and environmental sensitivity are posing manufacturability issues. Should the bilayer scheme be revisited or should silylation of a new class of more transparent polymers (light penetration of at least 50 nm) be attempted to address these problems?
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronics
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics
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Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European FellowshipsCoordinator
153 10 Aghia Paraskevi
Greece