Organic Monolayer Determination on Semiconductor Substrates

Abstract

Organic materials are routinely coated on semiconductor substrates for various photolithographic processes. The cleanliness of a substrate after being coated with a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC), photoresist, or both was studied using contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and ellipsometry. The relationship between the various methods was correlated. It was found that all organic materials leave a monolayer of residue. These materials have higher affinity to silicon than for silicon oxide substrates.