Multiple anion nonvolatile acetal (MANA) resists

New acetal or ketal blocking reagents were investigated for use in e-beam lithography and compared with the performance of ethyl vinyl ether (EVE). Three blocking groups, α-Angelicalactone (AL), 6-methylene-5,6-benzo-1,4-dioxane (MBD), and MANA50 (an undisclosed blocking group) were reacted with poly(p-hydroxystyrene) (PHS) under acid catalyzed conditions to form AL-PHS, MBD-PHS, MANA50-PHS. The performance objectives pursued in the design of these new materials was to use acetal (ketal) chemistry to deliver wide process latitudes (e.g. good PED performance and minimal PEB sensitivity), use high molecular weight blocking groups to eliminate outgassing, and use the novel concept of multiple anions to deliver lithographic performance. These new materials are called Multiple Anion Nonvolatile Acetal (MANA) resists. Resists films were exposed with 50 kV electrons, post exposure baked (PEB), and developed with 0.26 N TMAH. Resists prepared with the third blocking group, MANA50, gave imaging performance independent of PEB humidity and were relatively insensitive to PEB temperature and post-exposure delay (PED). These resists gave the best resolution (90 nm) and profiles of all the materials tested, as well as showing very low outgassing and good etch resistance.