Positive-Tone Metal-Containing EUV Resists

Background:

Positive-tone resists are required for the most demanding features in the fabrication of integrated circuits such as etching a “contact hole.” One challenge in the design of metal containing resists is the scarcity of resists that exhibit positive-tone behavior.

Technology Overview:

This technology describes the use 2-vinylbenzoate, 3-vinylbenzoate and 4-vinylbenzoate ligands in main-group metals that strongly absorb EUV (e.g. Sb, Sn, Te, Bi) as a means of producing positive-tone metal-containing resists. These ligands can be used to produce positive-tone, mono- and multinuclear complexes of highly EUV-absorbing main group metals.

Advantages:

•    Excellent resolution
•    Superior line edge-roughness (LER) 
•    High sensitivity 
•    Strong adhesion properties
•    Able to create intricate patterns

Applications:

•    Semiconductor device fabrication

Intellectual Property Summary:

Select from the following
Patent application filed in US 02-18-2025 19/104,670

Stage of Development:

•    TRL 3
•    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level

Licensing Status:

This technology is available for licensing.