Introduction to Microlithography: Theory, Materials, and Processing

Level: Introductory Length: 7 hours Format: In-Person Lecture Intended Audience: Process engineers, technicians, scientists, and managers new to the field of microlithography, and those who want to understand the physical and chemical principles that are the basis for resist function. Description: The course covers the physics of aerial image generation, the chemistry that is responsible for generation of differential solubility in resists, and the effects of processing variables on the final relief image. While optical exposure is the major focus of this course, electron beam and x-ray exposure are also addressed, as is nanoimprint lithography. The physics section provides an explanation for interference effects and their influence on the aerial image together with a look at aspects of wave front engineering techniques such as phase shift mask design. The chemistry section provides an overview description of the chemical basis for various resist designs, including chemically amplified resists. There will also be a discussion of methods for pitch multiplication such as Self Aligned Double Patterning, DSA, etc. The course also includes a discussion of the influence of material and process variables on the tradeoffs between resolution, line edge roughness and throughput. Learning Outcomes: This course will enable you to: - describe the issues that must be considered in choosing tooling, materials and processes for microlithography - describe the effect of exposure tool variables including partial coherence, N.A., and focus on the quality of the aerial image - explain molecular level basis for resist function - explain the effect of process variables on resist performance - distinguish the tradeoffs that must be made to increase the resolution of the patterning processes Instructor(s): Ralph R. Dammel has been actively involved in x-ray, e-beam, 157 nm, 193 nm, DUV, i- and g-line resist research since 1986. Beyond photoresists, his research interests include anti-reflective coatings and other performance enhancing materials, Directed Self Assembly, novel carbon materials, and other performance materials. He is currently employed as Chief Technologist for the Performance Materials Division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, and is based in Philadelphia, PA. Murrae J. Bowden is President of Electronic Materials & Processing (EMP) Consulting,which he founded in 2002. He has an extensive background in resist materials for microelectronic applications with over 30 years of experience in research and research management at Bell Laboratories and Bell Communications Research (Bellcore) where he was associated with the development of several commercial electron-beam resists, most notably PBS. He joined Arch Chemicals in 1997 as Director of R&D for the Microelectronic Materials division and in 2003 moved to Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ as Director of the Executive Master's programs in Technology Management (MSTM/EMBA) in the School of Business. He retired from Stevens in 2014 to focus on his consulting business. Murrae has won numerous awards for his contributions to microlithography, most recently the 2013 Photopolymer Science and Technology Outstanding Achievement Award sponsored by the Japan Society of Photopolymer Science and Technology. Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography 2020 Course Held: 23 February 2020