Self-developing photoresist using a vacuum ultraviolet F2 excimer laser exposure

An F2 excimer laser at 157 nm has been used for the first time as an exposure source for high resolution photolithography with the self-developing resist nitrocellulose. Ablative development of the nitrocellulose was observed for 157-nm energy densities greater than 0.025 J/cm2. Stencil masks fabricated using electron beam lithography were used for contact photolithography, and mask features to 200 nm were reproduced. These are the smallest features yet reproduced from a mask with an optical, self-developing resist technology.