Chemical shrinkage material: Nanoscale patterning through interpolymer complex

Abstract

A chemical shrinkage material causing large attachments without pattern deformation is suggested. This material is an aqueous solution of two kinds of polymers, and its shrinkage mechanism is based on the interpolymer complex formation and gelation principle. Attachment greater than 25 nm was confirmed on ArF photoresist pattern at 145°C, and its shrinkage properties were found to be proportional to initial critical dimension and process temperature, and pitch dependency was not observed. An additional study on temperature responsive phase transition behavior of the material was also undertaken.