Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Vol.23, No.1, 138-143, 2005
Hydrogen silsesquioxane as a high resolution negative-tone resist for extreme ultraviolet lithography
Hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) was evaluated as a high resolution negative-tone photoresist for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The following imaging properties of HSQ were evaluated in EUV exposure: sensitivity, contrast, resolution, and line edge roughness (LER). In this article we report that HSQ has a sensitivity of 11.5 mJ/cm(2) with a contrast of 1.64 in EUV exposure and is able to resolve 26 nm dense lines (70 nm thick film) with a LER of 5.1 nm (3sigma). These results, especially with regard to the sensitivity and low line edge roughness, imply that this class of materials may hold distinct advantages over traditional chemically amplified resists and should be further explored for application in EUV lithography. (C) 2005 American Vacuum Society.