Generalized approach toward modeling resist performance

A generalized technique for modeling resist performance is outlined. In this approach, the fraction of resist remaining after development as a function of incident dose, or characteristic curve, is related to the development rate which is assumed to be a power law of a dominant soluble species. Soluble species are either photochemically consumed for negative resists or generated for positive. Expressions for the dependence of characteristic curves on exposure dose and chemistry are derived for various resist systems, which are consistent with current models. For similar chemical kinetics, negative resists yield fewer lumped parameters to describe their development rate and characteristic curves than positive. Under conditions of negligible surface inhibition, lumped parameters can be extracted from characteristic curves and used to simulate lithography. A generalized method to correct for absorption in the resist and reflections is outlined. Exposure latitude was accurately predicted for a commercial negative chemically amplified resist. However, prediction of linewidths from characteristic curves of positive resists is complicated by surface inhibition effects.