Synthesis of Acrylate Dual-Tone Resists and the Effect of Their Molecular Weight on Lithography Performance and Mechanism: An Investigation

Acrylate photoresists have gained considerable attention in recent years owing to their high resolution, high sensitivity, and versality. In this work, a series of thermally stable copolymers are synthesized by introducing an isobornyl group, and well characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra ((1)H-NMR). The effects of polymerization conditions on the molecular weight and their further influence on lithography are explored. By analyzing the thermal properties, film-forming capabilities, and the patterning behavior of these copolymers, a direct correlation between lithography performance and polymerization conditions is established via the molecular weight. In addition, the baking temperature of lithography is also optimized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), after which a line resolution of 0.1 μm is observed under the exposure of a 248 nm UV light and electron beam. Notably, our synthesized photoresist displays dual-tone resist characteristics when different developers are applied, and the reaction mechanism of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis is finally proposed by comparing the structural changes before and after exposure.