NOVEL PHOTOACTIVE PROCESS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHIC APPLICATIONS

THIS PROPOSAL RELATES TO INITIAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL NEW LITHOGRAPHIC PROCESS WHICH IS CAPABLE OF GENERATING SUBMICROMETER MICROLITHOGRAPHIC IMAGES. THE PROPOSAL RELATES TO A PROCESS OF IMPREGNATING ANON-RADIATION SENSITIVE POLYMERIC RESIST COATING WITH A NON-REACTIVE, GASEOUS PHOTACTIVE MATERIAL, IMAGING SAID COMPOSITION USING A VARIETY OF EXPOSURE SOURCES, REMOVING THE UNREACTED PHOTOACTIVE MATERIAL, LEAVING A LATENT IMAGE WHICH IS THEN DEVELOPED, PREFERABLY USING OXYGEN REACTIVE ION ETCHING. THE MAJOR BENEFIT IS THAT THIS PROCESS DOES NOT REQUIRE A RADIATION SENSITIVE RESIST, NOR DOES IT USE MULTIPLE COATINGS; AND IT INVOLVES LITTLE OR VIRTUALLY NO ADDITIONAL PROCESSING COMPARED TO STANDARD PHOTORESIST PROCESSING. IT IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SUBMICRON IMAGE DIMENSIONS IN A TOP LAYER IMAGING PROCESS. THE TONE OF THE PROCESS CAN BE EITHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, DEPENDING ON THE SEQUENCE OF PROCESSING STEPS. THIS PROCESS IS USEFUL FOR IMAGING WITH ULTRAVIOLET, DEEP-UV, X-RAY, ELECTRON-BEAM,AND ION-BEAM RADIATION. IT IS POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR THE FORMATION OF RESIST IMAGES ON SEMICONDUCTOR AND ELECTRO-OPTICAL SUBSTRATES, AS WELL AS PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, INNERLAYER, OPTICAL DISC, AND LITHO PLATE PREPARATION. THE GOAL OF THE PHASE I PROGRAM IS TO DEFINE THE MATERIAL AND REACTION CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN THEDESIRED PHOTOREACTION OF THE PHOTOACTIVE MATERIAL AND POLYMER FILM.