Molecular layer deposition (MLD) is an increasingly important thin film synthesis technique in areas such as sensors, microelectronics, protective coatings, and catalysis. However, new analytical approaches are needed to advance fundamental understanding of deposition reaction mechanisms. This work introduces ultrafast laser-based pump–probe picosecond acoustics analysis to characterize thickness-dependent properties of MLD films. Polyurea films are deposited on hydroxylated SiO2 substrates using 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate and a diamine reactant, either ethylenediamine (PDIC/ED polymer) or 1,6-hexanediamine (PDIC/HD), and the expected polymer structure is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. During the first ∼20 nm of deposition, spectroscopic ellipsometry shows constant refractive index but decreasing growth rate before reaching steady state. X-ray reflectivity also shows approximately constant density during initial growth. However, the measured picosecond acoustics signatures demonstrate a marked increase in sound speed initially, indicating a transition in the physical film structure. The observed trends are ascribed to a transition in the kinetics of active site production and termination with increasing thickness, leading to changes in polymer and oligomer connectivity within the film. These findings provide a basis for better understanding MLD processes and reaction mechanisms that determine deposited film properties.

During TiO2 atomic layer deposition (ALD) using TiCl4 and H2O at ∼150 °C, nucleation proceeds rapidly on hydroxylated SiO2 but is inherently delayed on passivated surfaces such as H-terminated silicon (Si-H) and trimethylsilyl-passivated SiO2 (SiO2-TMS) formed using dimethylamino-trimethylsilane (DMA-TMS) as a small molecule inhibitor. In this work, we explore details of TiO2 nucleation on both Si-H and SiO2-TMS and show that the mechanisms leading to unwanted nuclei depend strongly on the passivation mechanism. Initial growth is observed as a function of ALD cycles using scanning electron microscopy to obtain average particle size, density, and overall surface coverage fraction. Also, average film thickness vs cycle is estimated using ellipsometry or Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Data are compared to an analytical model that considers that either nucleation sites are present on the starting non-growth surface or sites are generated during the ALD process. On the Si-H surface, data and modeling indicate that nucleation occurs predominantly from a fixed number of nucleation sites present on the starting growth surface that start to immediately grow. However, on TMS-passivated SiO2, nucleation sites are predominantly generated during the growth process so that the density of nucleation sites increases as growth proceeds. Results indicate that nucleation sites are created when adsorbed ALD reactants become kinetically trapped on the SiO2-TMS surface. This demonstrates that mechanisms associated with unwanted nucleation during area-selective deposition (ASD) can depend on details of the surface passivation scheme, thereby providing insight to help to improve ASD strategies for advanced applications.

Background: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is crucial to achieving smaller device sizes for next-generation technology, although organic resists face substantial challenges, such as low etch resistance, which limit the resolution of smaller features.Aim: Evaluate the potential for area-selective deposition (ASD) to improve EUV pattern resolution (e.g., by increasing etch resistance).Approach: We evaluate thermal compatibility, atomic layer deposition growth rate, and selectivity for TiO 2 ASD on various organic EUV resist materials using water contact angle, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of photo-acid generator (PAG) and EUV exposure on polymer properties and selectivity are considered. Results:The organic resist materials studied demonstrate thermal compatibility with TiO 2 ALD (125°C for 60 min). The TiO 2 ALD process from TiCl 4 and H 2 O proceeds readily on poly(tert-butyl methacrylate), poly(p-hydroxystyrene), and poly(p-hydroxystyrene-randommethacrylic acid) polymers, with and without PAG incorporation, in either the as-formed or EUV exposed state. However, TiO 2 is inhibited on poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate). Conclusions:We demonstrate that as-formed EUV resists can serve as either the growth or nongrowth surface during TiO 2 ASD, thereby enabling resist hardening and tone inversion applications, respectively. These results serve as a basis for further ASD studies on EUV resist materials to improve pattern resolution in next-generation devices.