Development of micro resist patterns less than 35nm size based on interaction control among polymer, aggregates.

近年来，微纳加工技术已成为实现电子微器件和制造量子器件的重要手段。特别是在光刻工艺中，抗蚀剂被认为是干法和湿法蚀刻工艺的重要掩模材料。作为亟待解决的重要问题，图案崩塌、线条边缘粗糙、图案缺陷和纳米气泡等特性已被人们所认识。了解这些基本性质不仅对微电子器件的发展至关重要，而且对纳米级器件的开发也至关重要。本研究利用原子力显微镜对浸没式光刻中的抗蚀剂加工、抗蚀剂图形黏附、杨氏模数估算、表面硬化层分析、聚合物聚集体操纵、纳米气泡分析等方面进行了研究。(1)利用针尖压痕技术，可以定量分析抗蚀剂图形表面的凝聚特性。The Fun…进一步研究了尖端压痕随测量位置的变化规律。图案边缘对微尖的压痕性能有很大影响。缩进位置应与图案边缘至少分开80 nm。采用微尖端压痕斜率作为表面冷凝的代表值。在压痕曲线上，清晰地显示出图形显影后在抗蚀剂表面形成了一定的硬化薄层。这些结果通过电子束(EB)辐照和热固化等各种硬化过程得到加强。可以肯定地说，顶端压痕方法可以分析抗蚀剂图案的表面凝聚力特性。(2)利用典型的原子力显微镜技术、坍塌、分离、压痕和操纵来表征聚合物聚集体的凝聚特性。在抗蚀剂表面清楚地观察到尺寸约为50 nm的聚合物聚集体的缔合。利用分离技术，分析了缔合聚合物骨料的粘聚性。结果表明，两个缔合聚合物聚集体被分成13个聚集体。聚合物聚集体之间的相互作用力可以在德尔贾金近似的基础上分析。通过尖端压痕，可以分析伴随一定空位的聚合物聚集体的凝聚。20吨大小的聚合物聚集体可以在线性位置进行操纵和重新排列。可以肯定地说，聚合物集料被视为具有一定粘聚力的颗粒状固体材料。介绍了聚合物聚集体伴随空位抗蚀剂的凝聚模型。(3)利用原子力显微镜(AFM)，可以在去离子水中清晰地观察到-ArF准分子抗蚀剂薄膜表面形成的纳米级气泡。观察到的NBS直径约为40-100 nm，高度约为3-8 nm。通过将原子力显微镜针尖靠近NBS，可以检测到抗蚀剂表面上的排斥力而不是吸引力。原子力显微镜针尖与ArF准分子抗蚀剂表面的相互作用分析对于识别NBS和区分固体粒子是有效的。这些现象可以在Lifshitz理论的基础上加以讨论。利用原子力显微镜针尖完成了Nb的分离过程。从浸没式光刻的角度对Nb的性质进行了分析，利用原子力显微镜对Nb在纳米尺度上的抗蚀剂加工过程中的各种严重问题进行了讨论。可以肯定地说，原子力显微镜具有分析抗蚀剂加工的有意义的潜力。这项技术将在其他领域被证明是有用的，例如，用于微粒的凝聚控制和微型机械的结构设计等。较少

In recent years, micro-and nanofabrication techniques have become important in realizing electronic microdevices and in fabricating quantum devices. In the lithography process, in particular, the resist is regarded as an important mask material for both dry and wet etching processes. As the important problems that needs to be solved, various properties such as pattern collapse, line edge roughness, pattern defect and nanoscale bubbles have been recognized. Understanding these fundamental properties is of crucial importance for development not only microelectronic devices but devices in nanometer scale. In this study, as the resist processing, resist pattern adhesion, Young's modulus estimation, surface hardened layer analysis by tip indentation, manipulation of polymer aggregate and nanobubble analysis for immersion lithography are discussed by using the AFM.(1) By the tip indentation technique, the condensation property of resist pattern surface can be analyzed quantitatively. The fun … More damental property of tip indentation depending on measurement position is investigated. The pattern edge affects strongly on indenting property of a micro tip. The indenting position should be set apart from the pattern edge at least 80nm. As the representative value of surface condensation, the indentation slope value of micro tip is employed. In the indenting curve, it is clearly indicated that a certain hardened thin layer is formed on the resist surface after pattern development. These results are enhanced by the various hardening processes such as electron beam (EB) irradiation and thermal curing. One can safely state that the surface cohesion property of resist pattern can be analyzed by the tip indentation method.(2) Condensation properties of polymer aggregate are characterized by the typical AFM techniques, collapse, separation, indentation and manipulation. The association of polymer aggregate of approximately 50nm size is clearly observed in the resist surface. By the separation technique, the cohesive property of associated polymer aggregate is analyzed. It is clearly indicated that two associated polymer aggregates are separated into 13 pieces of aggregates. The interaction force among polymer aggregates can be analyzed based on Derjaguin approximation. By the tip indentation, the condensation of polymer aggregate accompanying a certain vacancy can be analyzed. The polymer aggregate of 20tun size can be manipulated and rearranged in linear position. One can safely state that polymer aggregate is regarded as a granular solid material which has a certain cohesive strength. The condensation model of polymer aggregate accompanying with vacancy resist is introduced.(3) By using atomic force microscope (AFM), a nanoscale bubble (NB) formed on a film surface of-ArF excimer resist can be imaged clearly in deionized water. The diameter and height of NBs observed are approximately 40-100nm and 3-8nm, respectively. By approaching the AFM tip onto the NBs, the repulsive force can be detected but the attractive force on the resist surface. The interaction analysis between the AFM tip and the ArF excimer resist surface is effective in order to identify the NBs and to distinguish from solid particles. These phenomena can be discussed on the basis of Lifshitz theory. The separation procedure of the NB is accomplished with the AFM tip. The analysis of NB nature is discussed on the point of the immersion lithography.As the resist processing in nanometer scale, various serious problems are discussed by using the AFM. One can safely state that the AFM has a meaningful potential for analyzing the resist processing. This technique will prove useful in other fields, for example, for the condensation control of microparticles and the structural design of micromachines and so on. Less