Characterisation of combined positive-negative photoresists by excimer laser ablation

Novel photopolymers containing side groups based on o-methoxycinnamylidenemalonic acid, which undergo selective photo-crosslinking without destruction of the polymer backbone upon irradiation at lambda > 395 nm, have been developed for potential applications as combined positive-negative resists and multilayer resists. An XeCl excimer laser (lambda = 308 nm, iota = 20 ns) was used as the irradiation source to study the ablation and microstructuring characteristics of the polymers. The materials were structured before and after crosslinking. The ablation rate was analysed by varying the fluence (0.01-10 J/cm(2)) and the number of pulses for a given irradiation area. Etch rates of about 2 mu m per pulse at a fluence of 9J/cm(2) could be achieved for all polymers. The polymer with triazene groups reveals a higher etch rate at low fluences (less than 300 mJ/cm(2)) than the polymer without a triazene group. The experimentally observed threshold fluence for the triazene-containing polymer is about 30 mJ/cm(2). Using a Schwarzschild-type reflection objective (15x), microstructures with a resolution in the micron range were produced on both polymer films. The quality of the structures was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the new polymers could be used as resists for excimer laser ablation lithography.