PHOTORESIST-FREE LITHOGRAPHY OF 3 MU-M WIDE UO3 LINES FROM AMORPHOUS FILMS OF URANYL COMPLEXES

The solid-state photochemistry of two uranyl complexes has been investigated with the purpose of developing methods for optical lithography of uranium oxide films. The complex, UO2(NCS)(2)(OP(C6H5)(3))(2), is photosensitive in the solid state, undergoing loss of both NCS ligands to yield UO2(OP(C6H5)(3))(2) as the final photoproduct. Films of this material were easily patterned by photolithography. The complex, UO2(C5H7O2)(2), was also photosensitive and decomposed with no apparent intermediate to yield films of uranium oxide (delta-UO3). This process was also shown to be compatible with optical lithography by the patterning of delta-UO3 on silicon surfaces.