Anaysis of photoresist surface modified by fluorocarbon ions and radicals

Photoresist is indispensable material for the pattern formation using lithography and subsequent etching processes. It is well known that the photoresist for ArF (193 nm) excimer laser lithography have poor tolerability against etching plasmas and they may often be deformed and some roughness on the and surface and sidewall of the photoresist patterns are developed. This roughness will cause the hindrance of exact nano fabrication. In order to improve process condition and resist materials toreduce such roughness, it is indispensable to understand the reaction mechanism of photoresist and reactive species. We investigated the reaction of ArF photoresist with the mass-separated fluorocarbon ions, CF_x+ (x=1~3)¹.