Synergistic Engineering of Crystalline Organoantimony-Selenite Clusters Enabling Water-Developable, High-Sensitivity Nanopatterning

Abstract

The development of photoresists that combine high-sensitivity with environmental benignity is essential for advancing next-generation nanofabrication technologies. Herein, we present a molecular engineering strategy wherein selenite ligands are employed to assemble a series of dinuclear phenylantimony(oxo)-selenite clusters (designated as α, β, γ) with precisely tunable phenyl group densities, ranging from four to eight per cluster. A synergistic sensitivity mechanism is elucidated: the high-atomic-number (Z) inorganic core, comprising Sb and Se, functions as an efficient energy absorption antenna, while the surrounding shell of labile Sb–C bonds gives a high density of reactive initiation sites. Among the series, cluster γ exhibits optimal lithographic performance, achieving complete solubility switching at 26 μC·cm^–2, while maintaining sub-nanometer film smoothness. Notably, all resists are fully developable in pure water, underscoring their compatibility with environmentally sustainable processing. This work establishes a synergistic core-shell design principle for the development of high-performance, eco-friendly photoresists.

Keywords

Oligomeric clusters / Organoantimony / Antimony-selenite clusters / Water-development / High sensitivity / Nanolithography

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