Analysing the dissolution characteristics of deep UV chemically amplified photoresist

The dissolution characteristics of poly(hydroxystyrene)-based, chemically amplified (CA) photoresists for the deep uv are examined. It is shown that recently reported characteristics' found in DNQ/novolac-based conventional resists are also present in PHS-based, CA resist, including the so-called development notch and the variation of dissolution characteristics as a function of depth into resist film. Inclusion of these anomalies into the development step of the optical lithography simulator, PROLITH/2(2), gives improved simulation accuracy. Simulation of CA e-beam resists(3) which utilise the same chemistry should also benefit from the improvements described.