Novel organic resists for nanoscale imaging: from chemically amplified cycloaliphatic resists to dendrimer monolayers

We have designed and synthesized a series of novel nortricyclene and other cycloaliphatic homo-and co-polymers incorporating at high carbon to hydrogen ratio and various structural units for use in 193nm microlithography. The various macromolecules are prepared using a radical cyclopolymerization process involving norbornadienes or other suitable bis-olefinic moieties modified with an imageable functionality. The physical properties of the cyclopolymers may be tuned through copolymerization and simple modifications in the structure and composition of the monomers. The resulting materials may be formulated with a suitable photoacid generator to afford chemically amplified resists. The resists exhibit outstanding dry-etch resistance, good adhesion to silicon, good transparency at 193nm and are uncontaminated by metal catalysts. Development with standard aqueous base affords positive-tone images with resolution of 0.16μm and better. The concept of using self-assembled monolayers of dendrimers for molecular scale imaging using scanning probe lithography is also outlined.