Abstract
The development of very thick commercial sheets of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resist patterned by deep x-ray lithography was investigated. The development characteristics were explored, with the alternative methyl-iso-butyl-ketone (MIBK)-based developer systems, MIBK and MIBK/ iso-propyl-alcohol (IPA) 1:3, being compared with the “GG” developer system (2-butoxyethoxy-ethanol, morpholine, 2-aminoethanol, and water) more generally used. In particular, the influence of various parameters were studied: PMMA characteristics (resist thickness, pre-exposure thermal treatment), exposure conditions (x-ray incident energy, dose at the bottom of the resist, rate of dose deposition, distribution of dose inside the resist), development conditions (temperature, megasonic-assistance, length of cycle into developer and rinse baths), postexposure treatments (storage, thermal treatment), etc. The study also focused on surface finish of the parts corresponding to different exposure and development conditions. Using MIBK/IPA megasonic assisted development and postexposure treatment at 40 °C resulted in the best conditions, faster development rate, as well as smoother developed surfaces.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
