Abstract: A hydroxystyrene/indene/alkoxyisobutoxystyrene copolymer having Mw of 1,000-500,000 is formulated as a base resin to give a resist composition, typically chemically amplified positive resist composition. The composition exhibits a high resolution, a satisfactory resist pattern profile after development, and improved etch resistance and is thus suitable as a micropatterning material for the fabrication of VLSI.

Abstract: A polymer is obtained from (meth)acrylate having a bridged ring lactone group, (meth)acrylate having an acid-labile leaving group, and (meth)acrylate having a hydroxynaphthyl pendant. A positive resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin, when exposed to high-energy radiation and developed, exhibits a high sensitivity, a high resolution, and a minimal line edge roughness due to controlled swell during development, and leaves minimal residues following development.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units containing silicon and recurring units having a substituent group of formula (1) is novel wherein A1 is a divalent group selected from furandiyl, tetrahydrofurandiyl and oxanorbornanediyl, R1 and R2 are selected from monovalent C1–C10 hydrocarbon groups, or R1 and R2 taken together may form an aliphatic hydrocarbon ring with the carbon atom, and R3 is hydrogen or a monovalent C1–C10 hydrocarbon group which may contain a hetero atom. The polymer is useful as a base resin to formulate a resist composition which is sensitive to high-energy radiation, and has excellent sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of less than 300 nm as well as satisfactory oxygen plasma etching resistance.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a fullerene having five phenol derivatives is provided.

Abstract: The present invention-provides a positive resist composition wherein at least a polymer included in a base resin has a repeating unit with an acid labile group having absorption at the 248 nm wavelength light and the repeating unit is included with a ratio of 1-10% of all repeating units of polymers included in the base resin. There can be provided a positive resist composition with equal or higher sensitivity and resolution than those of conventional positive resist compositions, and in particular, by which a pattern profile on a substrate with high reflectivity is excellent and generation of a standing wave and line edge roughness are reduced.

Abstract: A negative resist composition is provided comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having formula (1), a photoacid generator, and a crosslinker. In formula (1), X is alkyl or alkoxy, R1 and R2 are H, OH, alkyl, substitutable alkoxy or halogen, R3 and R4 are H or CH3, n is an integer of 1 to 4, m and k are an integer of 1 to 5, p, q and r are positive numbers. The composition has a high contrast of alkali dissolution rate before and after exposure, high sensitivity, high resolution and good etching resistance.

Abstract: Novel silicon-containing polymers are obtained by copolymerizing a vinylsilane monomer with a compound having a low electron density unsaturated bond such as maleic anhydride, maleimide derivatives or tetrafluoroethylene. Using the polymers, chemical amplification positive resist compositions sensitive to high-energy radiation and having a high sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of less than 300 nm and improved resistance to oxygen plasma etching are obtained.

Abstract: Novel silicon-containing polymers are provided comprising recurring units having a POSS pendant and units which improve alkali solubility under the action of an acid. Resist compositions comprising the polymers are sensitive to high-energy radiation and have a high sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of up to 300 nm and improved resistance to oxygen plasma etching.

Abstract: An undercoat-forming material comprising a copolymer derived from an indene and a compound having a hydroxyl or epoxy group and a double bond, an organic solvent, an acid generator, and a crosslinker, optionally combined with an intermediate layer having an antireflective effect, has an absorptivity coefficient sufficient to provide an antireflective effect at a thickness of at least 200 nm and a high etching resistance as demonstrated by slow etching rates with CF4/CHF3 and Cl2/BCl3 gases for substrate processing.

Abstract: A polymer is prepared by radical polymerization of a monomer using an organotellurium or organoselenium compound as a polymerization initiator. The polymer has a narrower dispersity Mw/Mn and is adequately random. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin has advantages including a dissolution contrast of resist film, high resolution, exposure latitude, process flexibility, good pattern profile after exposure, and minimized line edge roughness.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units containing silicon and recurring units having a substituent group of formula (1) is novel wherein A1 is a divalent group selected from furandiyl, tetrahydrofurandiyl and oxanorbornanediyl, R1 and R2 are selected from monovalent C1-C10 hydrocarbon groups, or R1 and R2 taken together may form an aliphatic hydrocarbon ring with the carbon atom, and R3 is hydrogen or a monovalent C1-C10 hydrocarbon group which may contain a hetero atom. The polymer is useful as a base resin to formulate a resist composition which is sensitive to high-energy radiation, and has excellent sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of less than 300 nm as well as satisfactory oxygen plasma etching resistance.

Abstract: Resist compositions comprising as the base resin a polymer using tert-amyloxystyrene as a reactive group which is decomposable under the action of an acid to increase solubility in alkali have advantages including a significantly enhanced contrast of alkali dissolution rate before and after exposure, a high sensitivity, and a high resolution in the baking temperature range of 100-110° C. which is unachievable with tert-butoxystyrene. The compositions are best suited as a chemically amplified resist material for micropatterning in the manufacture of VLSI.

Abstract: Silicon-containing polymers comprising recurring units of formula (1) are novel wherein R1 is a single bond or alkylene, R2 is hydrogen or alkyl, R3, R4 and R5 are alkyl, haloalkyl, aryl or silicon-containing group, R6 is hydrogen, methyl, cyano or —C(?O)OR8 wherein R8 is hydrogen, alkyl or acid labile group, R7 is alkyl, —NR9R10 or —OR11 wherein R9, R10 and R11 are hydrogen or alkyl, a and b are positive numbers satisfying 0<a+b?1. Resist compositions comprising the polymers are sensitive to high-energy radiation and have a high sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of less than 300 nm and improved resistance to oxygen plasma etching.

Abstract: Silicon-containing polymers comprising recurring units of three components represented by the general formula (1) are novel wherein R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen or C1-10 alkyl, R4, R5 and R6 are hydrogen, C1-20 alkyl or haloalkyl, or C6-20 aryl, R7 is C4-20 alkyl, n is 1 to 5, p, q and r are positive numbers.

Abstract: Resist compositions comprising as the base resin a polymer using an alkoxyalkyl (meth)acrylate as a reactive group which is decomposable under the action of an acid to increase solubility in alkali have advantages including a practical level of shelf stability, a significantly enhanced contrast of alkali dissolution rate before and after exposure, a high sensitivity, and a high resolution over a wide baking temperature range. The compositions are best suited as a chemically amplified positive resist material for micropatterning in the manufacture of VLSI.

Abstract: A negative resist material, which comprises at least a high polymer containing repeating units represented by the following general formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000. There is provided a negative resist material, in particular, a negative resist material of chemical amplification type, which shows high sensitivity, resolution, exposure latitude and process adaptability as well as good pattern shape after light exposure, and further shows superior etching resistance.

Abstract: A chemical amplification, positive resist composition is provided comprising (A) a photoacid generator and (B) a resin which changes its solubility in an alkali developer under the action of acid and has substituents of the formula: C6H11—(CH2)nOCH(CH2CH3)— wherein C6H11 is cyclohexyl and n=0 or 1. The composition has many advantages including improved focal latitude, improved resolution, minimized line width variation or shape degradation even on long-term PED, minimized defect left after coating, development and stripping, and improved pattern profile after development and is suited for microfabrication by any lithography, especially deep UV lithography.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (2) is prepared by effecting deblocking reaction on a polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) in the presence of an acid catalyst. In the formulae, R1 and R4 are H or methyl, R2 and R3 are C1-C10 alkyl, or R2 and R3 may form a ring, R5 is H, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkoxy or halogen, R6 and R7 are H, methyl, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano or halogen, R8 is C4-C20 tertiary alkyl, n is an integer of 0 to 4, p is a positive number, q and r each are 0 or a positive number, exclusive of q=r=0, p1 is a positive number, p2 is 0 or a positive number, and p1+p2=p. The polymer thus produced has a narrower molecular weight distribution than polymers produced by the prior art methods. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin has advantages including a dissolution contrast of resist film, high resolution, exposure latitude, process flexibility, good pattern profile after exposure, and minimized line edge roughness.

Abstract: A polymer comprising hydroxystyrene units and tert-alkoxycarbonylstyrene units is prepared by polymerizing an acetal group-blocked hydroxystyrene monomer and a tert-alkoxycarbonylstyrene monomer to form a preliminary polymer, and subjecting the preliminary polymer to selective deblocking reaction of acetal groups in the presence of an acid catalyst. The polymer thus produced has a narrower molecular weight distribution. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin has advantages including a dissolution contrast of resist film, high resolution, exposure latitude, process flexibility, good pattern profile after exposure, and minimized line edge roughness.

Abstract: Novel silicon-containing polymers are provided comprising recurring units having a POSS pendant and units which improve alkali solubility under the action of an acid. Resist compositions comprising the polymers are sensitive to high-energy radiation and have a high sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of up to 300 nm and improved resistance to oxygen plasma etching.