PAB and PEB temperature gradient methodology for CAR optimization

Thuc H. Dam; Andrew Jamieson; Maiying Lu; Ki-Ho Baik

doi:10.1117/12.692939

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20 October 2006 PAB and PEB temperature gradient methodology for CAR optimization

Thuc H. Dam, Andrew Jamieson, Maiying Lu, Ki-Ho Baik

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Proceedings Volume 6349, Photomask Technology 2006; 634906 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.692939
Event: SPIE Photomask Technology, 2006, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

Chemically amplified resist (CAR) performance can be greatly influenced by post apply bake (PAB) and post exposure bake (PEB) conditions. The difficulty with optimizing these conditions for photomask process is cost and time. In typical wafer CAR resist development, multiple wafer splits and skews can be rapidly processed with relatively low cost and fast turn around time, whereas in photomask processing each ebeam-written mask with a set of DOE conditions can be expensive and time consuming to produce. This paper discusses a novel mask design and testing methodology that allow for many combinations of PEB and PAB conditions to be evaluated with one mask. In brief, this methodology employs orthogonal PAB and PEB thermal gradients across a plate. Some thermal profile, darkloss, resist top down critical dimensions (CD), and SEM cross section image results will be shared and discussed.

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Thuc H. Dam, Andrew Jamieson, Maiying Lu, and Ki-Ho Baik "PAB and PEB temperature gradient methodology for CAR optimization", Proc. SPIE 6349, Photomask Technology 2006, 634906 (20 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.692939

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