Advanced Photoresists: Development, Application and Market

Photoresist refers to the corrosion-resistant film material whose solubility changes when irradiated or radiated by ultraviolet light, electron beam, ion beam, X-ray, etc. Engraving technology is a micromachining technology that uses the solubility change of photoresist under ultraviolet light or electron beam to transfer the pattern designed on the mask to the exposed substrate. With the continuous improvement of light sources for semiconductor processing, from G line and I line to KrF(248 nm) and then to ArF(193 nm), the matching photoresist is constantly changing to meet the requirements of sensitivity, transparency and etching resistance. Nowadays, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography has become recognized as the next-generation lithography technology. This paper mainly introduces the development history, classification and application of photoresists and the related characteristics, principles and process flow of photoresists in different periods and systems. At the same time, the market situation of photoresists at home and abroad is introduced and analyzed, and the prospect of domestic development is also discussed.