6 December 2022 Infrared nanospectroscopy characterization of metal oxide photoresists
Xiao Zhao, Cheng Hao (Will) Wu, Hans A. Bechtel, Timothy Weidman, Miquel B. Salmeron
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Implementation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing requires a reliable and scalable EUV resist platform. A mechanistic understanding of the pros and cons of different EUV resist materials is critically important. However, most material characterization methods with nanometer resolution use an x-ray photon or electron beam as the probe, which often cause damage to the photoresist film during measurement. Here, we illustrated the use of non-destructive infrared nanospectroscopy [or nano-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (nano-FTIR)] to obtain spatially resolved composition information in patterned photoresist films. Clear evidence of exposure-induced chemical modification was observed at a spatial resolution down to 40 nm, well below the diffraction limit of infrared light. With improvements, such a nano-FTIR technique with nanoscale spatial resolution, chemical sensitivity, and minimal radiation damage can be a promising candidate for the fundamental study of material properties relevant to EUV lithography.

© 2022 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Xiao Zhao, Cheng Hao (Will) Wu, Hans A. Bechtel, Timothy Weidman, and Miquel B. Salmeron "Infrared nanospectroscopy characterization of metal oxide photoresists," Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 21(4), 041408 (6 December 2022). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.21.4.041408
Received: 26 July 2022; Accepted: 17 November 2022; Published: 6 December 2022
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KEYWORDS
Photoresist materials

Extreme ultraviolet lithography

Atomic force microscopy

Infrared radiation

Metal oxides

Extreme ultraviolet

Spatial resolution

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