Self-Developing Polysilane Deep-UV Resists - Photochemistry, Photophysics, And Submicron Lithography

Abstract

A new class of alkyl silane copolymers with relatively facile self-developing behavior under deep UV exposure has been examined. These materials can reproduce 0.8 μ features by projection lithography with a KrF excimer light source. The mechanism of material removal is primarily photochemical in nature and yields chemically inert volatile siloxanes as the major photoproducts, via a high quantum yield silylene expulsion/oxidation process.