Solvents and photoresists compositions for short wavelength imaging

Abstract

New photoresists are provides that are suitable for short wavelength imaging, particularly sub-170 nm such as 157 nm. Resists of the invention comprise a fluorine-containing polymer, a photoactive component, and a solvent component. Preferred solvents for use on the resists of the invention can maintain the resist components in solution and include one or more preferably two or more (i.e. blends) of solvents. In particularly preferred solvent blends of the invention, each blend member evaporates at substantially equal rates, whereby the resist composition maintains a substantially constant concentration of each blend member.

1 . A photoresist composition comprising a fluorinated resin, a photoactive component, and a solvent component, the solvent component comprising a mixture of least two distinct solvents, wherein one of the distinct solvents does not contain a ketone moiety, and with the exclusion of a solvent component consisting of methyl ethyl ketone and chlorobenzene.  
     
     
         2 . A photoresist composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent component comprises a heptanone.  
     
     
         3 . A photoresist composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent component comprises cyclohexanone.  
     
     
         4 . A photoresist composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent component comprises ethyl lactate.  
     
     
         5 . A photoresist composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent component comprises propylene glycol methyl ether acetate.  
     
     
         6 - 7 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         8 . A photoresist composition of  claim 1  wherein the photoresist comprises at least three distinct solvents.  
     
     
         9 - 59 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         60 . A method for forming a photoresist relief image; comprising: 
 applying a coating layer of a photoresist composition of  claim 1  to a substrate;    exposing the photoresist coating layer to activating radiation and developing the exposed resist layer.    
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the photoresist coating layer is exposed to radiation having a wavelength of less than about 200 nm.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the photoresist coating layer is exposed to radiation having a wavelength of less than about 170 nm.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the photoresist coating layer is exposed to radiation having a wavelength of about 157 nm.  
     
     
         64 . An article of manufacture comprising a substrate having a coating layer thereon of a photoresist composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         65 - 66 . (cancelled)