Linewidth fluctuations caused by films polymer aggregates in resist films

抄録

We investigate the linewidth fluctuation in resist patterns, which is a serious problem in electron beam nanolithography. Granular structures with a diameter of 20-30nm have been observed in resist films. We have determined that these structures cause the linewidth fluctuations. The granules are made up of polymer aggregates. We discuss the origin of the aggregates from the point that their size depends on the polymer molecular weight. We also show that linewidth fluctuation is reduced when the pattern size is less than the aggregate size. The linewidth dependence of the linewidth fluctuation can be explained by the influence of the resist polymer aggregate on the development behavior.