We investigated the effect of quencher type and loading concentration in OoB-insensitive EUV resists via actual exposure on the latest EUV scanner and stochastic simulation using Prolith. Model resist samples with two quencher types, conventional base type and photo-decomposable base type, at variant loading concentrations were prepared and tested. Basic indicators of lithographic performance, such as depth of focus, energy latitude, and line-width roughness were significantly improved by 80 nm, 8.4% and 25%, respectively along with a moderate increase of sensitivity (ca. 5mJ/cm²) under the optimized quencher condition. Meanwhile, we further quantitatively analysis the outgassing-induced contamination growth to realize the quencher distribution engineering effect on outgassing issue in EUV lithography. In addition, stochastic simulation for EUV resist featuring various types of quenchers provides certain correlation with the experimental results.

Date Published: 1 April 2013
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 8679, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography IV, 867929 (1 April 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2010658

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8679:
Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography IV
Patrick P. Naulleau, Editor(s)