Novolac-diazonaphthoquinone resists properties

The role of the novolac resin is not as minor as it may seem as a base-soluble binder. While the aromatic nature of the resin provides high dry etch resistance, the novolac structures and properties such as the ratio of o-cresol to m-cresol, the ratio of ortho to para backbone linkages, the molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution all affect the dissolution behavior, thermal flow resistance, and lithographic performance. The optimization of the novolac and diazonaphthoquinone properties in conjunction with the improvement of the i-line step-and-repeat exposure tools has pushed the resolution limit of photolithography to a sub-0.5-pm regime [4]. 

The solubHity properties of the PAG itself can play an important role in the overaH resist performance as weU (50). SolubHity differences between the neutral onium salt and the acidic photoproducts can be quite high and wHl affect the resist contrast. In fact onium salts can serve as dissolution inhibitors in novolac polymers, analogous to diazonaphthoquinones, even in the absence of any acid-sensitive chemical function (51). 

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