Lithography and line-edge roughness of high activation energy resists

Lithographic performance and line-edge roughness (LER) of several experimental high activation energy resists containing hydroxystyrene-co-styrene-co-t-butylmethacrylate terpolymers have been determined as a function of illumination conditions, polymer, photoacid generator and quencher composition, as well as process variations. Important lithographic properties, such as iso/dense bias, exposure latitude, may deteriorate upon minimization of LER. LER is largely affected by the changes of the optical settings, while material and process influences are less pronounced.