The Evolution of EUV Resists and Semiconductor Scaling: A Technical Retrospective and Future Outlook
One of the keys to breaking through the limits of semiconductor scaling is the EUV resist (EUV CAR and MOR). In 2019, the insertion of EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography technology propelled semiconductor scaling into an entirely new ere. Since, EUV CAR has stood at the forefront, enabling this breakthrough. More recently, MOR has emerged as a driving force in advancing scaling even further.
For researchers long devoted to photoresist development, MOR represents a truly disruptive innovation - an audacious material that defies conventional wisdom. Until now, it had been standard practice in semiconductor processes to reduce metallic impurities in resists for fine patterning to the ppb (10⁻⁹) and below level in order to prevent yield loss. The advent of MOR shattered this long-standing taboo, igniting a wave of innovation across the resist industry.
Now, the door to the next stage of evolution is about to open.