Study on stochastic phenomena induced in chemically amplified poly(4-hydroxystyrene-co-t-butyl methacrylate) resist (high performance model resist for extreme ultraviolet lithography)

Understanding of stochastic phenomena is essential to the development of highly sensitive resist for nanofabrication. In this study, we investigated the stochastic effects in a chemically amplified resist consisting of poly(4-hydroxystyrene-co-t-butyl methacrylate), triphenylsulfonium nonafluorobutanesulfonate (an acid generator), and tri-n-octylamine (a quencher). The SEM images of resist patterns were analyzed, using Monte Carlo simulation on the basis of the sensitization and reaction mechanisms of chemically amplified extreme ultraviolet resists. It was estimated that ±0.82σ fluctuation of the number of protected units per polymer molecule led to line edge roughness formation. Here, σ is the standard deviation of the number of protected units per polymer molecule after postexposure baking.