Interfacial forces at the nanoscale in thin films for EUV lithography

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography uses light at 13.5 nm to pattern a photoresist material and to build the semiconductor devices of tomorrow. At imec we demonstrated an unprecedented resolution of ~12 nm and below with this technology for very large-scale integration and high-volume manufacturing. To resolve such high resolution and high-density patterns, we must control the photoresist critical dimensions (CD) with sub-nm accuracy. However, scaling down the size of future devices poses challenges as small and thin photoresist patterns become more and more prone to collapse, break, or detach from the rest of the pattern. 

In this internship, the candidate will get familiar with the concepts of lithography and the main challenges related to thin films materials for lithography. By studying the forces acting between the photoresist and the adjacent materials, and the solvents used during the development process, the candidate will become skilled in the characterization of surface interactions, liquid-solid phenomena, and surface properties of materials. During the internship, the candidate will prepare thin films (<= 30 nm) of photoresists actually used in the fabrication of next generation integrated circuits. Then, the candidate will learn to carry out characterization by ellipsometer, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscope, scatterometry, reflectivity, adhesion. The applicant should be motivated and willing to work in a cleanroom environment autonomously; analyzing big sets of data using Excel, Matlab, or Origin to extract meaningful results. An academic background in chemistry, physics, materials science, or engineering is required. The candidate is also expected to present the findings of his internship as written thesis and/or in the form of imec internal dissertation. This position is only open to master’s students who have not received their degree yet.