Peter Trefonas (born 1958) is a retired DuPont Fellow (a senior scientist) at
DuPont
DuPont de Nemours, Inc., commonly shortened to DuPont, is an American multinational chemical company first formed in 1802 by French-American chemist and industrialist Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours. The company played a major role in ...
, where he had worked on the development of
electronic materials
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...
. He is known for innovations in the
chemistry of photolithography
Photolithography is a process in removing select portions of thin films used in microfabrication. Microfabrication is the production of parts on the micro- and nano- scale, typically on the surface of silicon wafers, for the production of integra ...
, particularly the development of
anti-reflective coating
An antireflective, antiglare or anti-reflection (AR) coating is a type of optical coating applied to the surface of lenses, other optical elements, and photovoltaic cells to reduce reflection. In typical imaging systems, this improves the effic ...
s and
polymer
A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + ''-mer'', "part")
is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
photoresist
A photoresist (also known simply as a resist) is a light-sensitive material used in several processes, such as photolithography and photoengraving, to form a patterned coating on a surface. This process is crucial in the electronic industry.
T ...
s that are used to create
circuitry
An electronic circuit is composed of individual electronic components, such as resistors, transistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected by conductive wires or traces through which electric current can flow. It is a type of electrical ...
for computer chips. This work has supported the patterning of smaller features during the lithographic process, increasing miniaturization and microprocessor speed.
Education
Peter Trefonas is a son of Louis Marco Trefonas, also a chemist, and Gail Thames.
He was inspired by ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' and the writings of
Isaac Asimov
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, birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR
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, death_date =
, death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
, nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
, and created his own chemistry lab at home.
Trefonas attended the
University of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a member of the University of Louisiana System and the Urban 13 association. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High rese ...
, receiving his Bachelor of Science in chemistry in 1980.
While an undergraduate, Trefonas earned money by writing early computer games for
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
s. These included ''Worm'', the first version of ''
Snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
'' to be written for a
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
, and a clone of ''Hustle''. Both were based on the ''
Blockade
A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force.
A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...
''
arcade game
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...
.
Trefonas also wrote a game based on
Dungeons and Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TSR). ...
.
Trefonas studied at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
with
Robert West,
completing a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry in late 1984.
Trefonas became interested in
electronic materials
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...
after working with West and chip makers from
IBM to create organosilicon bilayer photoresists.
His thesis topic was ''Synthesis, properties and chemistry of organosilane and organogermane high polymers'' (1985).
Career
Trefonas joined
MEMC Electronic Materials
SunEdison, Inc. (formerly MEMC Electronic Materials) is a renewable energy company headquartered in the U.S. In addition to developing, building, owning, and operating solar power plants and wind energy plants, it also manufactures high purity po ...
in late 1984. In 1986, he and others co-founded Aspect Systems Inc., utilizing photolithography technology acquired from MEMC.
Trefonas worked at Aspect from 1986-1989. Then, through a succession of company acquisitions, he moved to Shipley Company (1990-2000),
Rohm and Haas
Rohm and Haas Company is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals for end use markets such as building and construction, electronic devices, packaging, household and personal care products. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the company is organized i ...
(1997-2008), to The Dow Chemical Company (2008-2019), and finally to DuPont (2019-current).
Trefonas has published at least 132 journal articles and technical publications. He has received 107 American patents, and has more than 15 active patent applications pending.
Research
Throughout his career, Trefonas has focused on
materials science and the
chemistry of photolithography
Photolithography is a process in removing select portions of thin films used in microfabrication. Microfabrication is the production of parts on the micro- and nano- scale, typically on the surface of silicon wafers, for the production of integra ...
. By understanding the chemistry of photoresists used in lithography, he has been able to develop anti-reflective coatings and polymer photoresists that support finely-tuned etching used in the production of
integrated circuits
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...
.
These materials and techniques make it possible to fit more circuits into a given area.
Over time, lithographic technologies have developed to allow lithography to use smaller wavelengths of light. Trefonas has helped to overcome a number of apparent limits to the sizes that are achievable, developing photoresists that are responsive to 436-nm and 365-nm ultraviolet light, and as small as 193 nm deep.
In 1989, Trefonas and others at Aspect Systems Inc. reported on extensive studies of polyfunctional photosensitive groups in positive photoresists. They studied
diazonaphthoquinone
Diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) is a diazo derivative of naphthoquinone. Upon exposure to light, DNQ converts to a derivative that is susceptible to etching. In this way, DNQ has become an important reagent in photoresist technology in the semiconducto ...
(DNQ), a chemical compound used for dissolution inhibition of novolak resin in photomask creation. They mathematically modeled effects, predicted possible optimizations, and experimentally verified their predictions. They found that chemically bonding together three of the molecules of DNQ to create a new molecule containing three dissolution inhibitors in a single molecule, led to a better feature contrast, with better resolution and miniaturization.
These modified DNQs became known as "polyfunctional photoactive components" (PACs). This approach, which they termed polyphotolysis,
has also been referred to as the "Trefonas Effect."
The technology of trifunctional diazonaphthoquinone PACs has become the industry standard in positive photoresists.
Their mechanism has been elucidated and relates to a cooperative behavior of each of the three DNQ units in the new trifunctional dissolution inhibitor molecule. Phenolic strings from the acceptor groups of PACs that are severed from their anchors may reconnect to living strings, replacing two shorter polarized strings with one longer polarized string.
Trefonas has also been a leader in the development of fast etch organic Bottom Antireflective Coating (BARC)
BARC technology minimizes the reflection of light from the substrate when imaging the photoresist. Light that is used to form the latent image in the photoresist film can reflect back from the substrate and compromise feature contrast and profile shape. Controlling interference from reflected light results in the formation of a sharper pattern with less variability and a larger process window.
In 2014, Trefonas and others at Dow were named
Heroes of Chemistry
The Heroes of Chemistry is an award given annually by the American Chemical Society. It highlights teams responsible for creation of innovative and impactful products based on chemistry and chemical engineering and is intended to show how human we ...
by the
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all d ...
, for the development of Fast Etch Organic Bottom Antireflective Coatings (BARCs).
In 2016, Trefonas was recognized with The SCI
Perkin Medal
The Perkin Medal is an award given annually by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) to a scientist residing in America for an "innovation in applied chemistry resulting in outstanding commercial development." It is considered the h ...
for outstanding contributions to industrial chemistry. In 2018, Trefonas was named as a Fellow of the
SPIE
SPIE (formerly the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, later the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers) is an international not-for-profit professional society for optics and photonics technology, founded in 1955. It ...
for "achievements in design for manufacturing & compact modeling." Peter Trefonas was elected to the
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...
in 2018 for the "invention of photoresist materials and microlithography methods underpinning multiple generations of microelectronics". DuPont Company in 2019 recognized Trefonas with its top recognition, the
Lavoisier Medal A Lavoisier Medal is an award named and given in honor of Antoine Lavoisier, considered by some to be a father of modern chemistry. , for "commercialized electronic chemicals which enabled customers to manufacture integrated circuits with higher density and faster speeds".
Awards and honors
* 2021, ACS Carothers Award
* 2019, DuPont Company
Lavoisier Medal A Lavoisier Medal is an award named and given in honor of Antoine Lavoisier, considered by some to be a father of modern chemistry.
* 2018, elected to the
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...
* 2018, named Fellow of the
SPIE
SPIE (formerly the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, later the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers) is an international not-for-profit professional society for optics and photonics technology, founded in 1955. It ...
* 2016,
Perkin Medal
The Perkin Medal is an award given annually by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) to a scientist residing in America for an "innovation in applied chemistry resulting in outstanding commercial development." It is considered the h ...
, from the
Society of Chemical Industry
The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit".
Offices
The society's headquarters is in Belgrave Square, London. There are semi-in ...
* 2014, ACS Heroes of Chemistry, from the
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all d ...
(one of thirteen scientists from the Dow Chemical Company credited with the development of Dow AR Fast Etch Organic Bottom Antireflectant Coatings)
* 2013, SPIE C. Grant Willson Best Paper Award in Patterning Materials and Processes
jointly with researchers at Dow and Texas A&M University,
from
SPIE
SPIE (formerly the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, later the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers) is an international not-for-profit professional society for optics and photonics technology, founded in 1955. It ...
for the paper "Bottom-up / top-down high-resolution, high-throughput lithography using vertically assembled block brush polymers".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trefonas, Peter
1958 births
Living people
American physical chemists
Inorganic chemists
Photochemists
Polymer scientists and engineers
Scientists from Louisiana
People from New Orleans
20th-century American chemists
21st-century American chemists
University of New Orleans alumni
University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni