Chemical reactions induced by low-energy electron exposure on a novel inorganic-organic hybrid dry EUV photoresist deposited by molecular atomic layer deposition (MALD)
Dan N. Le, Su Min Hwang, Jihoon Woo, Seungsoo Choi, Taehee Park, Jean-François Veyan, Nikhil Tiwale, Ashwanth Subramanian, Won‐Il Lee, Chang‐Yong Nam, Rino Choi, Jiyoung Kim
Abstract
Herein, we investigated the chemical reactions associated with low-energy electron exposures on an inorganic-organic hybrid thin film system deposited using molecular atomic layer deposition (MALD) for EUV photoresist applications. Using the hybrid thin films consisting of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and hydroquinone (HQ), we determined the critical doses and thickness contrast of the hybrid materials at various electron energies (up to 400 eV). The custom-built in-situ Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy system, equipped with an electron flood gun and gas residual analyzer (RGA), was employed to monitor the chemical changes induced by low-energy electrons in the hybrid thin films. Based on the in-situ FTIR and RGA results, potential chemical reaction mechanisms responsible for the change in solubility of the TMA/HQ material are proposed.