Dow Corning Corp. and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. (TOK) have jointly developed a bilayer photoresist that uses a silicon polymer, previously not possible due to outgassing issues in the imaging layer, eliminating the need for other resist layers such as a hard mask for etch protection.

"Our joint development with TOK has accomplished something that no one has been able to do before: incorporate a silicon polymer in a photosensitive material and avoid problems with outgassing, which have prevented the use of silicon in photoresists in the past," said Tomonobu Noguchi, Electronics &Advanced Technologies marketing director with Dow Corning. "With next-generation lithography technologies still years away from commercialization, Dow Corning and TOK are working together to ensure that optical lithography will be extended beyond the 65nm node."

Dow Corning and TOK have had a joint development agreement since 2002 to develop advanced photolithography materials based on silicon. The new resist is also touted to be compatible with immersion lithography processes.