ArF excimer laser resists based on fluoroalcohol

Abstract This paper reviews IBM's 193 nm resist development efforts, placing an emphasis on the systems employing fluoroalcohol as an acidic group. Polymethacrylates were initially selected as a platform for their good transparency at 193 nm and then the emphasis on dry etch resistance prompted the work on all‐norbornene systems. Carboxylic acid was employed in these resist systems as an acid group, which resulted in significant swelling during aqueous base development. Replacement of the carboxylic acid with fluoroalcohol has produced second generation 193 nm resist systems, the good dissolution behavior of which is offered by the fluoroalcohol group. The fluoroalcohol‐based 193 nm resists in this study include cycloolefin‐SO 2 , all‐norbornene, trifluoromethylacrylate‐norbornene (and vinyl ether), methacrylate, and silsesquioxane systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.