Issue 2, 2020

Three-dimensional line edge roughness in pre- and post-dry etch line and space patterns of block copolymer lithography

Abstract

In this work, we employ large-scale coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations to study the three-dimensional line edge roughness associated with line and space patterns of chemo-epitaxially directed symmetric block copolymers (BCPs) on a flat substrate. The di-block copolymer chain length and interaction parameters are validated with the experimental BCP period, L0 and corresponding molecular weight. Defect-free lamellae are formed, after which the system is quenched below the glass transition temperature before selectively dry-etching off one of the BCP phases. The effect of varying etch-selectivity on post-etch resist domain morphology was studied. The roughness of the polymer domain was evaluated over three process stages: annealing, pre-etching, and post-etching. Power spectral density plots were then generated to elucidate the contributions of low and high frequency roughness for the three process stages. The roughness results obtained from simulations are shown to be in close agreement with the roughness result obtained from analyzing experimental SEM images. Parameters like the Hurtz roughness exponent and correlation length inherent to the process and the BCP were also revealed from the experimental study.

Graphical abstract: Three-dimensional line edge roughness in pre- and post-dry etch line and space patterns of block copolymer lithography

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 out 2019
Accepted
02 dez 2019
First published
02 dez 2019

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020,22, 478-488

Author version available

Three-dimensional line edge roughness in pre- and post-dry etch line and space patterns of block copolymer lithography

S. Pinge, Y. Qiu, V. Monreal, D. Baskaran, A. Ravirajan and Y. L. Joo, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020, 22, 478 DOI: 10.1039/C9CP05398K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements