I. Classification by Development Mechanism

1. Alkaline Development Solutions

Representative Components: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃), tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH).

Applications: Suitable for positive-tone photoresists (e.g., AZ® series), achieving pattern transfer by dissolving unexposed regions.

Characteristics: TMAH-based systems (2.38% concentration) are currently the mainstream, offering environmental friendliness and low metal ion residue. With a high pH (>11), they accelerate development rates but require temperature control (20–25°C) to prevent resist delamination.

2. Acidic Development Solutions

Representative Components: Nitric acid (HNO₃), sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).

Applications: Used for negative-tone photoresists (e.g., Shipley® NJ series), fixing exposed regions via cross-linking reactions.

Characteristics: Highly reactive, requiring precise time control to avoid excessive etching. Commonly applied in post-deep-trench etching development for MEMS devices.

II. Classification by Functional Characteristics

1. General-Purpose Development Solutions

Typical Formulation: TMAH (2.38%) + surfactant (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate).

Applications:Mature process nodes (>180 nm), compatible with materials such as silicon and silicon nitride.

Advantages: Low cost, stable process, with defect density <0.1/cm².

2. High-Resolution Development Solutions

Representative Product: MF-319 (containing optimized TMAH and surfactants).

Applications: Nodes below 7 nm, supporting EUV photoresist development.

Characteristics: Low surface tension (<30 mN/m), enhancing aspect ratio up to 50:1. Incorporates antistatic agents (e.g., quaternary ammonium salts) to reduce particle adsorption.

3. Anti-Reflective Coating (BARC) Dedicated Development Solutions

Components: Fluorinated compounds (e.g., ammonium perfluorobutyrate) + buffers.

Function: Dissolve bottom anti-reflective coatings (BARC) to optimize line edge roughness (LER <1 nm) of lithographic patterns.

Challenges: Requires matching with EUV light source wavelengths (13.5 nm) to prevent plasma damage.