| Abstract: | Poly(allyl methacrylate)-co-(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) has been evaluated as a high-sensitivity, high-resolution, high temperature-resistant negative electron resist. The effects of molecular weight and polydispersity of the copolymer on its lithographic performance as an E-beam resist were studied. The sensitivity of the copolymer is nearly constant in the weight-average-molecular-weight range of 50,000 to 75,000, and it gradually decreases with a decrease in molecular weight. As expected for a negative resist, the resist contrast increases as the polydispersity is decreased. The sensitivity curve shape of the polymer was independent of the prebake temperature, which varied from 70 to 110°C, and of the various developers used. The exposed coating requires vacuum curing for image optimization. Resolution of 0.5 μm line/space pairs was obtained from a 0.6 μm thick resist by exposing the resist to 10 keV electrons with either a raster-scan-type or vector-scan-type electron-beam exposure machine. After postbaking at 170°C, the resist had good resistance to both chemical etching and dry etching. The plasma-etch resistance was about twice that of PMMA. |
