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 self-developing resist nitrocellulose. Ablative development of the nitrocellulose was observed for 157 nm energy densities greater than 0.025 J/cm(2). Stencil masks fabricated using electron beam lithography were used for contract 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.