1984 Volume 5 Issue 4 Pages 455-467
Physical and chemical interaction mehanisms between low temperature plasma and organic polymer film was elucidated on the basis of the results of quantum-chemical calculations and experimental observations. The radiation effects on polymers are approximately reproduced in low temperature plasma, because the degradable and crosslinkable properties originate from the reactions on the lower excited state potential energy hypersurfaces. In oxygen plasma, crosslinkable polymers are converted to degradable polymers by the reaction with oxgen atom. The origin of the dry etch resistance of resist film was also clarified. The elucidated interaction mechanism was applied to the molecular design of dry etch resistant and dry developable resist, an example of which was shown in the last section.
