A Study of Amorphous Chalcogenides by Electron Microscopy and Analysis

Abstract Amorphous chalcogenides films coated with certain metals are known to possess a remarkable sensitivity to radiation. Based on these effects they have found several important applications in the production of microcircuits, e.g. as resists in photo- and electron beam lithography. A variety of chalcogenides in combination with a range of metals has been extensively investigated with regard to potential applications in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. The objectives of the present project are to extend knowledge of the behaviour of amorphous chalcogenides in contact with metals. This includes studying the metal diffusion process, understanding the film-electron beam interaction process and evaluating the potential of the metal lines formed by the electron beam in fabrication of photomasks for the production of higher densities of silicon microcircuits.