Application of 4-methyl-1-acetoxycalix[6]arene resist to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor gate processing

Gate lengths from 10 to 30 nm are beyond the reproducible limits of chemically amplified negative resists. Gate stack etching, the most challenging step, requires a negative, nonmetallic resist capable of withstanding enhanced etching with fluorine plasmas. This paper describes a new negative resist, 4-methyl-1-acetoxycalix[6]arene (MAC) which has demonstrated 10 nm scale resolution and etch resistance matching that of novolaks. Because increased etch resistance is required to allow reasonable resist aspect ratios, this work addresses techniques for increasing the etch resistance of MAC resist. The major disadvantage of MAC is its very low sensitivity; to address this we present a technique for combining the use of UVN with MAC. © 1999 American Vacuum Society.