Application of diazo-type resists in synchrotron lithography

The paper deals with an experimental evaluation of the characteristics of the Diazo-type resists (AZ 1450 J, Kodak 820) under x-ray illumination. The goal is the application of these resists in submicron device fabrication (0.5 micrometers) and also in x-ray mask making. The decisive parameter is, therefore, the resolution which should be better than 0.1 micrometers. The sensitivity can be rather moderate, if the high-intensity synchrotron radiation is being used. The investigations showed that the structure definition is efficient for 0.5 micrometers feature size in case of both resists. In contrast to the PMMA-like resists, the Diazo-type resists show a very strong interdependence between resolution and sensitivity. The sensitivity, in turn, is very low (3-5 J/square centimeters) in the high-resolution range for both resists.