Bottom Anti-Reflective Coatings (BARCs) for 193 nm Lithography

A long-standing trend in the integrated circuit industry is to reduce pattern geometries on semiconductor substrates. To continue this trend, the next exposure wavelength after on-going deep-ultraviolet (248 nm) will be 193 nm. This SBIR Phase I program will identify and develop thermosetting bottom anti-reflective coatings (BARCs) meeting requirements for use with 193 nm unilayer resists. A series of hydroxy-functional, dye-attached polymers designed specifically for 193 nm BARC usage will be synthesized in virtually rote reactions. Subsequent formulation with a thermal crosslinker and catalyst in safe solvent solutions will provide thermosetting products, thus assuring insolubility of the cured film in photoresist solvents. Comparable work has already provided commercial 248 nm BARCs. BARC properties considered necessary for compatibility with unilayer 193 nm resists will be measured. An Olin/Lucent poly(cyclic olefin/maleic anhydride) 193 nm resist, that has already shown considerable promise with one of our thermoset BARCs, will be used for profile studies. A best-case BARC(s) will be selected from this Phase I study for scale-up and commercialization during the Phase II effort.