By systematically studying development of a high resolution, negative electron beam resist, hexa-methyl acetoxy calix(6)arene, we have elicited a more general understanding of the underlying development mechanisms for negative resists. Using the three dimensional Hansen solubility parameters for more than 40 solvents, we have constructed a Hansen solubility sphere (HSS). From this sphere, we have estimated the Flory Huggins interaction parameter for solvents with hexa-methyl acetoxy calix(6)arene and found a correlation between resist development contrast, nanoscale patterned feature quality, and the polymer-solvent solubility. Conducting Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in a liquid cell, we have measured swelling for hexamethyl acetoxy calix(6)arene in four solvents. The swelling measurements indicate that the HSS gives an indication of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter. These measurements provide new insights into the development behavior of nanoscale features -necessary for obtaining the ultimate lithographic resolution. In addition, it demonstrates a methodology for choosing appropriate polymer-solvent combinations for nanoscience applications.
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