Hybrid bilayer imaging approach using single-component metal-organic precursors for high-resolution electron beam lithography

Augustin Jeyakumar; Clifford L. Henderson; Paul J. Roman Jr.; Seigi Suh

doi:10.1117/12.485133

12 June 2003 Hybrid bilayer imaging approach using single component metal-organic precursors for high-resolution electron beam lithography

Augustin Jeyakumar, Clifford L. Henderson, Paul J. Roman Jr., Seigi Suh

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5039, Advances in Resist Technology and Processing XX; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485133
Event: Microlithography 2003, 2003, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

A hybrid bilayer imaging approach has been developed which uses a thin radiation sensitive, single component, metal-organic precursor film in conjunction with a thicker organic planarizing etch barrier. Upon electron beam irradiation, the metal-organic precursors are converted to a metal-oxide etch mask and the pattern can be transferred through the organic etch barrier layer using an oxygen reactive ion etch. These novel precursors can also be converted to the metal-oxide using deep ultraviolet optical irradiation or thermal baking. Therefore, a combination of blanket conversion steps followed by the patterning process can be utilized in order to reduce imaging doses. In this work, results of characterizing a titanium(n-butoxide)₂(2-ethylhexanoate)₂ precursor are presented due to its combined properties of hydrolytic stability and moderate sensitivity. It was found that using a blanket thermal bake step of 1, 2, and 3 minutes at 150°C prior to electron beam exposure increased the sensitivity of the materials to 200, 90, and 72 µC/cm² respectively. However, the contrast of the material decreased from 4.40 to 2.17 as a consequence of pre-exposure thermal baking. The etching characteristics of the metal-organic precursor were also studied in ashing and silicon dioxide etching plasmas. It was found that the etch rate in the different plasmas depends strongly on the extent of conversion of the metal-organic film. Films with higher extents of conversion to the metal-oxide provide higher etch resistance in general. The patterning capability with these metal-organic precursors is demonstrated on top of both silicon substrates and hard baked novolac films.

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Augustin Jeyakumar, Clifford L. Henderson, Paul J. Roman Jr., and Seigi Suh "Hybrid bilayer imaging approach using single component metal-organic precursors for high-resolution electron beam lithography", Proc. SPIE 5039, Advances in Resist Technology and Processing XX, (12 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485133

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