Energy-sensitive resist material and a process for device fabrication

Abstract

A process for device fabrication and resist materials that are used in the process are disclosed. The resist material contains a polymer in combination with a dissolution inhibitor and a photoacid generator (PAG). The dissolution inhibitor is the condensation reaction product of a saturated polycyclic hydrocarbon compound with at least one hydroxy (OH) substituent and a difunctional saturated linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon compound wherein the functional groups are either carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid chloride groups. The condensation product has at least two polycylic moieties. The polymer optionally has acid labile groups pendant thereto which significantly decrease the solubility of the polymer in a solution of aqueous base. A film of the resist material is formed on a substrate and exposed to delineating radiation. The radiation induces a chemical change in the resist material rendering the exposed resist material substantially more soluble in aqueous base solution than the unexposed portion of the resist material. The image introduced into the resist material is developed using conventional techniques, and the resulting pattern is then transferred into the underlying substrate.