Resist materials for transition to green processing in semiconductor industry

Alternative (to mainstream Silicon CMOS technologies) semiconductor manufacturing process technologies able to sustain in the mid- and long-terms the fast pace evolution of device performance, miniaturisation and cost, while reducing environmental footprint.

RESIN GREEN proposes the development of new resist material platforms that can be processed under conditions offering clear advantages regarding reduction of environmental footprint.

In particular, new resist chemistries targeting to materials than can be processed (deposited and developed) by using environmentally friendly solvents such as water, very dilute aqueous base solutions, or green organic solvents.

In this context we will develop new resist materials in order to eliminate the use of organic solvents and aqueous alkaline solutions that are currently used in the lithographic process at semiconductor manufacturing industry.

The lithographical process steps that demand the major amounts of solvents are the spin coating solution of the photoresist as well as the development process.

We target to replace the standard organic solvents which are used in spin coating and the highly alkaline TMAH solutions used in development with water.

The use of greener organic solvents and very dilute basic developers will only be considered if necessary for meeting high performance requirements.Our target is to investigate bio-source materials and new photoresist platforms suitable for exposure at 193 nm, 248 nm or EUV and achieve significant breakthroughs by designing a complete process, using renewable resources and neither organic solvent nor hazardous chemicals.

In addition, e-beam lithography will be considered, especially for evaluating the high resolution potential of the proposed resist materials.