Chloromethylated polystyrene cross-linking sensitivity

We note from Table VIII a strong interest in halogenated resists, particularly those substituted with chlorine. The addition of chlorine to the aromatic structure of polystyrene has a marked effect on cross-linking efficiency. Monodisperse polystyrene, for example, has a sensitivity on the order of 50 p C/cm2, yet with as little as 20% chloromethyl groups substituted on the ring, the sensitivity is improved to 2 C/cm2 for comparable molecular weight and distribution. 

Recently chloromethylated polystyrene (CMS), a highly sensitive, high resolution electron resist with excellent dry etching durability, was developed. Very recently reactive intermediates in irradiated polystyrene, which is a starting material of CMS, have been studied and the transient absorption spectra of excimer (2-4), triplet states (2,5), charge-transfer complexes, and radical cations (6) of polystyrene have been measured. The present paper describes the cross-linking mechanism of the high sensitivity CMS resist and compares it to that of polystyrene on the basis of data on reactive intermediates of polystyrene and CMS. 

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