Method of patterning a phenolic polymer film without photoactive additive through exposure to high energy radiation below 225 nm with subsequent organometallic treatment and the associated imaged article

摘要

A phenolic resist without photoadditives achieves enhanced sensitivity when exposed to patterned short wavelength radiation to form a highly crosslinked barrier layer in the exposed regions of the resist surface. The complementary surface regions are silylated in a silicon-containing reagent, and the exposed regions are readily removed by a oxygen RIE plasma. The laser exposure is a reciprocal process allowing precise control. Pattern definition is enhanced by limiting the exposure and the silylation to the surface of the resist.