Computer simulation of resist profiles at electron beam nanolithography

In this paper, resist behavior peculiarities in nanolithography is studied. Experimental data for the development rate dependence on the exposure dose is presented and used for numerical simulation of the developed profiles at electron beam nanolithography (EBL). These data concerns the most important nanolithography organic resist – polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), chemically amplified resist CAMP6 and for the inorganic resist hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ). For a study of the nonlinear resist behavior during the development process, simulated resist profiles in the case of delay effect for penetration of the developer in the fresh resist material are discussed. The results are obtained using a universal approach for computer simulation of predicted profiles. It is concluded that such an effect will decrease the average rate of development and could be observed only in the side wall shape of the developed profile.