Dissolution And Swelling Studies Of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Resist Films

The swelling and dissolution of thin film poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and in solvent/nonsolvent mixtures of MIBK/methanol and methyl ethyl ketone/isopropanol have been investigated. Films were monitored using in situ ellipsometry. Parametric studies of the effects of molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, softbaking quench rate, solvent size, and temperature were performed with MIBK. These parameters were shown to have a significant effect on dissolution. The effects of solvent composition and temperature on swelling and dissolution were investigated with the binary solvents. Ternary diagrams based on Flory-Huggins interaction parameters were used to interpret the thermodynamics of swelling and dissolution. A narrow transition region (NTR) where the developer changed from a swelling to dissolving agent with a small change in composition or temperature was observed.