A newly developed positive photoresist technology which produces a crosslinked image is described. This resist has demonstrated high sensitivity and resolution for e-beam and X-ray applications. The resist uses conventional novolak polymers and melamine crosslinking agents with thermal acid generators to achieve acid-catalyzed crosslinking in the unexposed areas of the resist. An amine base is photochemically generated in the exposed areas which inhibits the crosslinking reaction. The exposed area remains soluble in conventional aqueous base developers. Chemistry of the thermal acid generators as well as examples of the photobase generators is discussed. Lithographic results focus on e-beam and X-ray synchrotron applications in which the crosslinked positive image has high contrast and high resolution.

Date Published: 1 June 1991
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 1466, Advances in Resist Technology and Processing VIII, (1 June 1991); doi: 10.1117/12.46360

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1466:
Advances in Resist Technology and Processing VIII
Hiroshi Ito, Editor(s)