Abstract: Provided is a polymer useful as a base resin of a resist material featuring a high resolution, patterns with less sidewall roughness, practically acceptable etching resistance, and a substantial margin allowed for heat treatment temperature after exposure. The polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 50,000 and comprises at least one repeating unit of formula (1) below, at least one repeating unit of formula (2) below and at least one repeating unit of formula (3) below. A resist material comprising the polymer is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a polymer useful as a base resin of a resist material featuring a high resolution, patterns with less sidewall roughness, practically acceptable etching resistance, and a substantial margin allowed for heat treatment temperature after exposure. The polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 50,000 and comprises at least one repeating unit of formula (1) below, at least one repeating unit of formula (2) below and at least one repeating unit of formula (3) below. A resist material comprising the polymer is also provided. In addition, provided is a pattern formation process comprising steps of applying the resist material onto a substrate, heating the film, exposing the heated film through a photomask to high energy radiation or electron beam, heating the exposed film and then developing with a developer.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a hydrogenated product of ring-opening metathesis polymer and a poly(meth)acrylic acid derivative as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etch resistance, and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A resist composition is provided comprising a fluorochemical surfactant which functions to reduce the contact angle of a coating of the resist composition with water or an aqueous base developer as the amount of the fluorochemical surfactant increases. The resist composition forms a coating having a thickness uniformity, free of defects, and wettable with an aqueous base developer when applied onto a substrate, and has a good storage stability in that particles do not increase during storage in solution form.

Abstract: The invention provides a high molecular weight silicone compound comprising recurring units of formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-50,000. Some or all of the hydrogen atoms of carboxyl groups or carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in the silicone compound may be replaced by acid labile groups. Z is a di- to hexavalent, non-aromatic, monocyclic or polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; Z is a di- to hexavalent, normal or branched hydrocarbon group or non-aromatic, monocyclic or polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; x, y and z are integers of 1-5 corresponding to the valence of Z and Z′; R1 is —OCHR—R′—OH or —NHCHR—R′—OH; R2 is alkyl or alkenyl or a monovalent, non-aromatic, polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; p1, p2, p3 and p4 are 0 or positive numbers.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1) and (2) wherein R1 and R3 are H or methyl, R2 and R4 are C1-15 alkyl, R5 to R8 are H, or R5 and R7, and R6 and R8 form trimethylene or 1,3-cyclopentylene and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution and etching resistance and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A ternary copolymer of hydroxystyrene, tertiary alkyl (meth)acrylate and substitutable phenoxyalkyl (meth)acrylate having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is blended as a base resin to formulate a chemically amplified, positive resist composition which has advantages including a significantly enhanced contrast of alkali dissolution rate before and after exposure, high sensitivity, high resolution, a satisfactory pattern profile after exposure, high etching resistance, and process adaptability.

Abstract: A hydrogenated product of a ring-opening metathesis polymer comprising structural units as shown below has improved heat resistance, pyrolysis resistance and light transmission and is suited as a photoresist for semiconductor microfabrication using UV or deep-UV. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1) and (2) wherein R1 and R3 are H or methyl, R2 and R4 are C1-15 alkyl, R5 to R8 are H, or R5 and R7, and R6 and R8 form trimethylene or 1,3-cyclopentylene and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution and etching resistance and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a hydrogenated product of ring-opening metathesis polymer and a poly(meth)acrylic acid derivative as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etch resistance, and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: Onium salts of the formula (1) are novel. R1 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, R2 is H or C1-6 alkyl, p is an integer of 1 to 5, q is an integer of 0 to 4, p+q=5, R3 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, M is a sulfur or iodine atom, and “a” is equal to 3 or 2. A chemical amplification type resist composition comprising the onium salt as a photoacid generator is suited for microfabrication, especially by deep UV lithography because of many advantages including improved resolution, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized defect after coating, development and stripping, and improved pattern profile after development.

Abstract: Onium salts of substituted phenylmethylbenzene-sulfonate anions with iodonium or sulfonium cations are novel. A chemically amplified resist composition comprising the onium salt as a photoacid generator is suited for microfabrication, especially by deep UV lithography because of many advantages including improved resolution, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized defect after coating, development and peeling, and improved pattern profile after development.

Abstract: A chemical amplification type resist composition contains as a photoacid generator a sulfonyldiazomethane compound of the formula (1): wherein R1 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, R2 is C1-6 alkyl, G is SO2 or CO, R3 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, p is an integer of 0 to 4, q is an integer of 1 to 5, 1≦p+q≦5, n is 1 or 2, m is 0 or 1, and n+m=2. The composition is suited for microfabrication, especially by deep UV lithography because of many advantages including improved resolution, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized debris after coating, development and peeling, and improved pattern profile after development.

Abstract: The invention provides a high molecular weight silicone compound comprising recurring units of formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-50,000. Some or all of the hydrogen atoms of carboxyl groups or carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in the silicone compound may be replaced by acid labile groups.

Abstract: A ternary copolymer of hydroxystyrene, tertiary alkyl (meth)acrylate and substitutable phenoxyalkyl (meth)acrylate having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is blended as a base resin to formulate a chemically amplified, positive resist composition which has advantages including a significantly enhanced contrast of alkali dissolution rate before and after exposure, high sensitivity, high resolution, a satisfactory pattern profile after exposure, high etching resistance, and process adaptability.

Abstract: A chemical amplification type resist composition contains as a photoacid generator a sulfonyldiazomethane compound of the formula (1): wherein R1 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, R2 is C1-6 alkyl, G is SO2 or CO, R3 is C1-10 alkyl or C6-14 aryl, p is an integer of 0 to 4, q is an integer of 1 to 5, 1≦p+q≦5, n is 1 or 2, m is 0 or 1, and n+m=2. The composition is suited for microfabrication, especially by deep UV lithography because of many advantages including improved resolution, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized debris after coating, development and peeling, and improved pattern profile after development.

Abstract: A hydrogenated product of a ring-opening metathesis polymer comprising structural units as shown below has improved heat resistance, pyrolysis resistance and light transmission and is suited as a photoresist for semiconductor microfabrication using UV or deep-UV. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance.

Abstract: A chemically amplified positive resist composition contains (A) an organic solvent, (B) a base resin in the form of a polymer having at least one acid labile group and crosslinked within a molecule and/or between molecules with a crosslinking group having a C—O—C linkage, the polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-500,000, (C) a photoacid generator, (D) a basic compound, and (E) an aromatic compound having a group ≡C—COOH in a molecule. The composition has a high alkali dissolution contrast, high sensitivity and high resolution.

Abstract: A chemically amplified positive resist composition contains (A) an organic solvent, (B) a base resin in the form of a polymer having at least one acid labile group and crosslinked within a molecule and/or between molecules with a crosslinking group having a C—O—C linkage, the polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-500,000, (C) a photoacid generator, (D) a basic compound, and (E) an aromatic compound having a group ≡C—COOH in a molecule. The composition has a high alkali dissolution contrast, high sensitivity and high resolution.

Abstract: The invention provides a high molecular weight silicone compound comprising recurring units of formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-50,000. Some or all of the hydrogen atoms of carboxyl groups or carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in the silicone compound may be replaced by acid labile groups. Z is di- to hexavalent, non-aromatic, monocyclic or polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; Z′ is a di- to hexavalent, normal or branched hydrocarbon group or non-aromatic, monocyclic or polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; x, y and z are integers of 1-5 corresponding to the valence of Z and Z′; R1 is —OCHR—R′ —OH or —NHCHR—R′ —OH; R2 is alkyl or alkenyl or a monovalent, non-aromatic, polycyclic hydrocarbon or bridged cyclic hydrocarbon group; p1, p2, p3 and p4 are 0 or positive numbers.