In situ analysis of negative-tone resist pattern formation using organic-solvent-based developer process

In situ resist "pattern formation" analysis during the development process using high-speed atomic force microscopy has been improved for application not only for conventional aqueous 0.26 N tetramethylammonium hydroxide (aq. TMAH), but also organic solvent n-butyl acetate (nBA) developers. Comparative investigations of resist dissolution in these developers, using the same resist material (hybrid of polyhydroxystyrene and methacrylate), showed a grainlike, uniform dissolution of the "unexposed resist film" in nBA development and uneven dissolution of the "exposed resist film" in aq. TMAH development. These results suggest the importance of dissolution uniformity in further improving the resulting pattern line width roughness.