Influence of polymer properties on airborne chemical contamination of chemically amplified resists

At present, the use of most chemically amplified (CA) positive tone resists in a manufacturing environment generally requires extraordinary measures to protect the films against contamination by airborne basic substances. The design of environmentally robust CA resists that exhibit high photospeed and contrast without special handling or processing is a significant challenge. A detailed understanding of those factors which influence resist susceptibility to environmental contamination will simplify the search for improved materials.