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Published on: February 12, 2017
Charge dissipation in e-beam lithography with Novolak-based conducting polymer films
R Abargues1, U Nickel, P J Rodríguez-Cantó
1Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Erlangen, Egerlandstrasse 3, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany. Instituto de Ciencias de los materiales, Universidade de Valencia, PO Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain.
A novel conducting polymer network effectively prevents charging during electron beam (e-beam) lithography, eliminating pattern displacement. This new material ensures precise patterning by combining insulating and conducting polymer properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Electron beam (e-beam) writing is crucial for microfabrication.
- Charging of resist materials during e-beam writing causes pattern displacement, hindering high-resolution patterning.
- Existing solutions for preventing charging often have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a new conducting polymer material to eliminate charging during e-beam writing.
- To achieve a material with high conductivity, a flat surface, chemical inertness, and solvent resistance.
- To integrate conducting properties within an insulating matrix for enhanced performance.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) by polymerizing terthiophene (3T) within a Novolak host polymer.
- Utilized Cu(ClO(4))(2) to initiate simultaneous polymerization and doping of 3T in a one-step reaction during the bake step.
- Characterized the resulting films for conductivity, surface morphology, and solvent resistance.
Main Results:
- Achieved solvent-resistant and homogeneous conducting polymer films with smooth surfaces.
- The new material exhibited a conductivity of approximately 10(-2) S cm(-1), exceeding the required threshold for preventing pattern displacement.
- Successfully patterned a top resist layer without compromising lithographic performance.
Conclusions:
- The developed conducting polymer IPN effectively suppresses charging during e-beam writing.
- This material offers a promising solution for high-precision microfabrication by preventing pattern displacement.
- The one-step synthesis method provides a practical approach for creating advanced lithographic materials.
