Interfacial and Multiphase Characterization of Next Generation Inorganic Resists Synthesized Through Sustainable Materials Chemistries
EMSL Project ID
47704
Abstract
Transformation of small molecular precursors into inorganic solid-state compounds via solution methods has mainly focused on sol-gel techniques involving hydrolysis and condensation reactions of metal-organic compounds in bulk solutions. This method generally produces porous structures because of the difficulties in controlling the hydrolysis and condensation reactions leading to sol-gel formation. As part of the National Science Foundation Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry (CSMC), we have undertaken a revolutionary approach to forming high-quality inorganic multicomponent films where we trap reactive precursors in an aqueous-based thin film and then induce controlled condensation. Using these approaches we have synthesized smooth, fully dense, crack-free, high-quality films of many compositions with controlled thickness down to 8 Å, including HfO2, ZrO2, HfO2-x(SO4)x, ZrO2-x(SO4)x, and Al4O3(PO4)2. The functionality of the resulting materials has been borne out through fabrication of high-performance thin-film transistors and displays,[1,2] dielectric mirrors and band-pass filters,[3] diffraction and light-trapping gratings,[4,5] and leading-edge directly imaged nanostructures via electron-beam and extreme ultra-violet lithographies.[6,7] The condensation reactions for these films can be initiated through thermal, photon, and electron stimulated processes which has lead to advances in nanolaminate fabrication (with single-digit-nm layer thicknesses) and direct sub-10-nm nanopatterning. The objective of this proposal is to develop a fundamental understanding of interfacial reaction mechanisms for film formation, interdiffusion between nanolaminate layers, and the role of precursor chemistries on nanopatterning fidelity for next generation photoresists. This proposal is well aligned with the EMSL's Science Theme on the “Science of Interfacial Phenomena,” and the EMSL capabilities will allow in-situ integrated approaches that will combine both experimental and theoretical methods to advance sustainable materials chemistries relevant to energy efficient functional materials synthesis.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2012-12-21
End Date
2013-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Team Members
Related Publications
Flynn BT, RP Oleksak, S Thevuthasan, and GS Herman. 2018. "Interfacial Chemistry-Induced Modulation of Schottky Barrier Heights: In Situ Measurements of the Pt-Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Interface Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 10(4):4333-4340. doi:10.1021/acsami.7b18674