Half-micron photolithography using a KrF excimer laser stepper

This paper refers to the development of the KrF (248nm) excimer laser stepper system and related technology, both the resist and the alkaline water-soluble contrast enhancement materials, designed for use in combination with the excimer laser. A coherent-noise (speckle-free and high-speed image transmission have been successfully achieved by the high power. and narrow band width of the oscillation wavelength. The new positive resist has little absorption on the resist surface at around 248nm, which suggests high gamma value. The new water-soluble contrast-enhancement materials for the KrF excimer laser helps to attain the high contrast resolution of resist patterns. Both of these materials are very effective when used under the excimer laser system. This excimer laser lithography has been confirmed as an effective technology to fabricate 0.5 micron design rules VLSIs with hyperfine structure.