SBIR Phase I: Photoresist Polymer Masks Formed From an Aqueous Phase by Polymerization in a Two Dimensional Surfactant Template

95-61049罗伯茨 信息技术的最新需求和发展已经刺激了在硅晶片上制造更小特征的努力。为了做到这一点，正在探索许多光刻技术，以获得它们提供能够产生这种亚微米特征的高分辨率光致抗蚀剂掩模的能力。预计到2002年，对低至0.18微米的芯片特征的需求，不久之后对更小的0.125微米特征的需求。在过去的十年中，Langmuir-Blogett（LB）膜，一种基于表面活性剂的工艺，已被认为是一种可行的候选掩模技术。LB工艺已经证明了低至0.010微米（即10 nm）分辨率的无针孔掩模;然而，LB工艺仅限于使用能够同时进行底物吸附和聚合的少数表面活性单体。相比之下，在Surfactant Associates实验室开发的基于表面活性剂的替代工艺允许通过几乎任何能够用作光致抗蚀剂聚合物的有机单体形成光刻胶膜。该方法依赖于在水性环境中静电吸附的双层表面活性剂聚集体（亚胶束），其中抗蚀剂单体溶解并聚合以形成物理吸附到金属氧化物表面的聚合薄膜。通过pH变化改变表面净电荷或在表面上施加电势来从表面去除薄膜掩模。通过使用admicelles形成的薄膜已经发现用于改性表面的工业用途，从热固性聚合物复合材料中使用的金属氧化物到药物递送系统。有人提出，这种技术提供了多种选择，在制造光刻掩模。这种掩模为光刻机提供了一系列的蚀刻灵敏度，同时消除了对标准光刻工艺中使用的挥发性有机溶剂的需要。这种方法是水基的，环境可接受的，提供了多功能性，分辨率等于-如果不是更大-比LB膜。 这里提出的光刻掩模的发展可以允许集成电路制造商制造具有比当今工业可能的更精细的细节的集成电路，从而允许美国半导体工业保持其世界范围的技术领先地位。美国在半导体技术方面的主导地位以及这种地位的军事和经济影响是重要的，不仅是因为就业方面，而且也因为国家安全方面的考虑。

95-61049 Roberts Recent needs and developments in information technology have spurred efforts to fabricate ever smaller features on silicon wafers. To do this, many lithographic techniques are being explored for their ability to provide high resolution photoresist masks capable of producing such submicron features. Needs for chip features down to 0.18 microns are predicted by the year 2002, with need for smaller 0.125 micron features soon after. Over the last decade, Langmuir-Blogett (LB) films, a surfactant based process, has been recognized as a viable candidate masking technique. The LB process has demonstrated ultrathin, pin-hole free masks down to resolutions of 0.010 microns (i.e. 10 nm); however, the LB process is limited to using only those few surface active monomers capable of both substrate adsorption and polymerization. In contrast, an alternative surfactant based process, developed in Surfactant Associates' laboratory, allows ultrathin film formation by practically any organic monomer capable of serving as a photoresist polymer. The process relies on electrostatically adsorbed bilayer surfactant aggregates (admicelles) in an aqueous environment into which a resist monomer is solubilized and polymerized to form polymerized thin films physically adsorbed to the metal oxide surface. The thin film mask is removed from the surface by changing the net surface charge by a pH change or imposing an electrical potential on the surface. Thin films formed by using admicelles have already found industrial use for modifying surfaces ranging from metal oxides used in thermoset polymer composites to drug delivery systems. It is proposed that this technique offers a variety of choices in fabricating ultrathin masks. Such masks offer a range of etching sensitivity for the lithographer while at the same time eliminating the need for volatile organic solvents used in standard lithographic processes. This process is aqueous based, environmentally acceptable, offers versatility, and resolution s equal to--if not greater--than LB films. The development of the ultrathin masks proposed here may allow integrated circuit fabricators to manufacture integrated circuits with much finer detail than is possible by the industry today--thus allowing the United States semiconductor industry to maintain its world wide technological lead. The dominance of the United States in semiconductor technology and the military and economic implications of that status are significant not only because of employment aspects but also national security concerns.