Additive chemistry and distributions in NTD photoresist thin films

The lithographic performance of photoresists is a function of the vertical distribution of formulation components, such as photoacid generator (PAG) molecules, in photoresist thin films and how these components undergo chemical modification and migrate within the film during the lithography processing steps. This paper will discuss how GCIB-SIMS depth profiles were used to monitor the PAG and quencher base distributions before and after exposure and post-exposure bake processing steps for different PAG/photoresist formulations. The authors show that the use of surface active quencher in an NTD photoresist leads to better resist profiles, superior DOF and better OPC performance.