Dissolution behavior of negative-type photoresists for display manufacture studied by quartz crystal microbalance method

Abstract

Photoresists have been widely used as patterning materials for electronic devices such as displays and semiconductors. Understanding pattern formation mechanisms is essential for the efficient development of resist materials. In particular, the dissolution mechanism of resist materials is an important process in pattern formation. In this study, the dissolution mechanisms of negative-type resists for display manufacture were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The changes in frequency during development were measured for polymer and resist films. The observed major trend was as follows. The development type changed from an insoluble state to a peeling type and a dissolution type with Case II diffusion with an increase in the acid value of the polymers. The characteristics of the dissolution with Case II diffusion are the formation of a transient swelling layer (dissolution front) and steady-state front motion (linear weight loss). For the dissolution with Case II diffusion, the dissolution time and the original thickness of the transient swelling layer decreased with an increase in the acid value of the polymers.