Work

Ultrafast Dynamics and Rearrangement of the EUV Photoacid Generator Phenyl Triflate

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Extreme UV photolithography is a high-energy process crucial for modern computer chip fabrication, where photoacid generators (PAGs) enhance radiation exposure by producing reactive chemical species. This study investigates the ultrafast dissociative dynamics of phenyl triflate, a widely used PAG, under high-energy ionizing conditions. The dissociative ionization of the phenyl triflate cation, which includes a molecular rearrangement that releases SO 2 and forms the phenyl trifluoromethyl ether cation, is measured over the first 5 ps. These dynamics reveal vibrational coherence corresponding to a torsional mode of the cation, involving the twisting of the phenyl group into the O–S–C plane. Electronic structure calculations for the radical cation are in good agreement with the experimentally observed vibrational coherence. These findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of phenyl triflate under ionizing conditions similar to its industrial usage.

Source: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c03621

Authors: Sung Kwon, Jacob Stamm, Marcos Dantus

Institution: Michigan State University

Language: English

Topic: Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500

Funders: Basic Energy Sciences, Air Force Office of Scientific Research