SnOx high-efficiency EUV interference lithography gratings towards the ultimate resolution in photolithography

We investigate a molecular Sn-oxide based negative tone resist featuring high absorbance at EUV wavelengths for the simple and direct fabrication of highly efficient diffraction gratings necessary for single-digit nm resolution patterning with EUV interference lithography (EUV-IL). In here we show for the first time, dense line-space patterning by electron beam lithography down to 9nm HP resolution using the novel Sn-oxide based resist. We furthermore show patterning of dense line-space structures down to 7nm half-pitch resolution by the use of highly efficient SnOx gratings and EUV-IL. Furthermore, our simulation results show the feasibility of patterning high-resolution nanostructures down to 5nm half-pitch with optical lithography. Display Omitted Sn-oxide based resist used for simple and direct fabrication of efficient gratings for EUV interference lithography.Patterning of dense line-space structures down to 7nm half-pitch (HP) resolution was accomplished.Simulation results show the feasibility of patterning high resolution structures down to 5nm HP with optical lithography.9nm HP resolution SnOx lines can be patterned directly with electron beam lithography.