Airborne contamination in chemically amplified resist films was evaluated by monitoring deprotection reaction using an IR spectrometer. T-BOC protected (20, 50 and 100 mol%) m- and p-cresol novolak resins and triphenyltriflate were used as a matrix polymer and a photoacid generator (PAG), respectively. Three levels of clean environments whose base contaminant (NH$-4$/$+$PLU$/) concentrations were 50 - 80, 5 - 10 and less than 1 ppb, were prepared for the experiments. In order to determine the delay effects precisely, other processes including baking, exposure, and storage during process intervals were conducted in a base-free environment. The PEB delay effect as well as radiation sensitivity without delay depended on the t-BOC content, and the best results were obtained at 50% and 25 - 50% t-BOC contents in m-cresol novolak and p-cresol novolak systems, respectively.
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