The synthesis of a new aliphatic polyester that spontaneously depolymerizes at room temperature when exposed to high energy radiation will be described. The depolymerization reaction is driven by formation of an aromatic product, toluene and a gas, carbon dioxide. Phase compatible blends of this polymer with a matrix resin such as m-cresol novolac or addition polymers derived from norbornene bearing hexafluoroisopropanol substituents constitute a very interesting new resist formulation. The polyester inhibits the base dissolution rate of thin films of these matrix polymers, but the radiolysis products do not. Hence, films of the blends function as sensitive positive tone resists. A single radiochemical event results in breaking many, many covalent bonds, hence the resist system demonstrates high sensitivity of the sort seen in acid catalyzed, chemically amplified resists (CARs). In principle, the new resists do not suffer from the bias and image blur limitations that are characteristic of the CAR design because there is no catalyst. The key, unzipping reaction does not require acid diffusion and the reaction once initiated is confined to a single chain. The synthesis of the new polyester and recent results of electron beam exposure studies of the new materials will be presented.

A new photoresist based on an “unzipping” polyester

254th National Meeting (2017)

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