SBIR Phase I:Development of Dual-Tone Photoresist

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a new photoresist material with dual tones for micro-photolithography. Traditional photoresist material responds to radiations in either positive or negative tone respectively. In this project, a dual-tone photoresist material that responds to radiations in positive and negative tone simultaneously will be investigated. The concept is that the photoresist is only soluble in developer when halfway radiated, resulting in split or doubled patterns. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide a cost-effective photoresist technology for enhanced resolution of micro-photolithography. Currently, the Argon Fluoride (ArF) photolithography has already reached its resolution limit. The double-patterning (DP) process offers higher resolution, but is generally complex and costly. The dual-tone technology is expected to extend ArF lithography to the resolution level of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography with lower cost than that of the DP process.