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 polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1) to (4) wherein R1, R3, R4 and R7 are hydrogen or methyl, R2 is an acid labile group, R5 and R6 are hydrogen or hydroxyl, and R8 is a lactone structure group and having a Mw of 1,000-50,000 is provided. A resist composition comprising the inventive polymer has a sensitivity to high-energy radiation, improved resolution and etching resistance and lends itself to lithographic micropatterning with electron beams or deep UV.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1), (2) and (3) increases a dissolution rate in an alkali developer under the action of an acid. R1, R2 and R5 are H or CH3, R3 and R4 are H or OH, and X is a tertiary exo-alkyl group having a bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane structure, represented by any of formulae (X-1) to (X-4): wherein R6 is a C1-C10 alkyl group. A resist composition comprising the inventive polymer has a sensitivity to high-energy radiation, improved resolution and minimized line edge roughness and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep UV for VLSI fabrication.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1), (2), (3) and (4) increases a dissolution rate in an alkali developer under the action of an acid. R1, R2, R3 and R6 are H or CH3, R4 and R5 are H or OH, X is a tertiary exo-alkyl group having a bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane framework, represented by any of formulae (X-1) to (X-4): wherein R7 is C1-C10 alkyl, and Y is a tertiary alkyl group having an adamantane structure. A resist composition comprising the inventive polymer has a sensitivity to high-energy radiation, improved resolution and minimized proximity bias and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep UV for VLSI fabrication.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) wherein R1 is H or methyl, R2 is H or C1-8 alkyl, R3 is CO2R4, and R4 is C1-15 alkyl and recurring units having a carboxylic acid protected with an acid-decomposable protecting group containing an adamantane structure or tetracyclo-[4.4.0.12,5.17,10]dodecane structure and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel.

Abstract: A novel polymer is obtained by copolymerizing a (meth)acrylic acid derivative with a vinyl ether compound, an allyl ether compound and an oxygen-containing alicyclic olefin compound. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell 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: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H or alkyl, or R1 and R2, and R3 and R4 taken together may form a ring with each pair being alkylene, and k is 0 or 1 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, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: An ether compound of formula (1) is provided wherein R1 is H or C1-6 alkyl, R2 is C1-6 alkyl, R3 is H, C1-15 acyl or C1-25 alkoxycarbonyl which may be substituted with halogen atoms, k is 0 or 1, m is from 0 to 3, and n is from 3 to 6. The ether compound is polymerized to form a polymer having improved reactivity, robustness and substrate adhesion. 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 polymer bearing specific silicon-containing groups is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has excellent sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength of less than 300 nm, and high resistance to oxygen plasma etching. The resist composition lends itself to micropatterning for the fabrication of VLSIs.

Abstract: Cyclic acetal compounds of formula (1) wherein k=0 or 1 and n is an integer of 0 to 6 are novel. Using the cyclic acetal compounds as a monomer, polymers are obtained. 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: An ether compound of formula (1) is provided wherein R1 is H or C1-6 alkyl, R2 is C1-6 alkyl, R3 is H, C1-15 acyl or C1-25 alkoxycarbonyl which may be substituted with halogen atoms, k is 0 or 1, m is from 0 to 3, and n is from 3 to 6. The ether compound is polymerized to form a polymer having improved reactivity, robustness and substrate adhesion. 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: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer which has excellent reactivity, rigidity and adhesion to the substrate, and undergoes a low degree of swelling during development, a resist material which uses this polymer as the base resin and hence exhibits much higher resolving power and etching resistance than conventional resist materials, and a pattern formation method using this resist material. Specifically, the present invention provides a novel polymer containing repeating units represented by the following general formula (1-1) or (1-2) and having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000, a resist material using the polymer as a base resin, and a pattern formation method using the resist material.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) and/or (2) wherein R1 and R2 are H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl which may have halogen substituents; R3 and R4 are H, C1-15 alkyl or alkoxy or C2-15, alkoxyalkyl which may have halogen substituents, and R3 and R4 may together bond with the carbon atom to form an aliphatic ring, or R3 and R4, taken together, may be an oxygen atom; and k=0 or 1, 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, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1—1) or (1-2) wherein k is 0 or 1, m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and n is 1 or 2 and having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000. 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 polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) wherein R1 is H or methyl, R2 is H or C1-8 alkyl, R3 is hydrogen or CO2R4, and R4 is C1-15 alkyl and recurring units having a carboxylic acid protected with an acid-decomposable protecting group containing an adamantane or tetracyclo-[4.4.0.12,5.17,10]dodecane structure 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: An ester compound of the following formula (1) is provided. R1 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R3, R2 is H, methyl or CO2R3, R3 is C1-C15 alkyl, R4 is branched or cyclic, tertiary C5-C20 alkyl group, Z is a divalent C1-C10 hydrocarbon group, and k is 0 or 1. A resist composition comprising as the base resin a polymer resulting from the ester compound is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance, and is suited for micropatterning using electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1 and R2 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, taken together, may form a ring; R3 is H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl which may have halogen substituents, not all R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen; and k=0 or 1, 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, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A resist composition contains as a base resin a polymer represented by the following formula and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000. R1 is H, methyl or CO2R2, R2 is alkyl, R3 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R2, at least one of R4 to R7 is a carboxyl or hydroxyl-containing monovalent hydrocarbon group, and the reminders are independently H or alkyl, at least one of R8 to R11 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms containing a —CO2— partial structure, and the reminders are independently H or alkyl, R12 is a polycyclic hydrocarbon group or an alkyl group containing such a polycyclic hydrocarbon group, R13 is an acid labile group, Z is a divalent group of atoms to construct a 5- or 6-membered ring which contains a carboxylate, carbonate or acid anhydride therein, k is 0 or 1, x is a number from more than 0 to 1, “a” to “d” are from 0 to less than 1, x+a+b+c+d=1.