Abstract: Disclosed are photoresist compositions suitable for imaging with sub 200 nm wavelength radiation including as polymerized units one or more monomers having an electronegative substituent and an ester group containing certain leaving groups. Also disclosed are methods of providing photoresist relief images using the photoresist compositions.

Abstract: A chemically amplified resist composition comprising (A) a polymer comprising recurring units containing at least one fluorine atom, (B) a compound of formula (1) wherein R1 and R2 are H, F or alkyl or fluorinated alkyl, at least one of R1 and R2 contains at least one fluorine atom, R3 is a single bond or alkylene, R4 is a n-valent aromatic or cyclic diene group, R5 is H or C(?O)R6, R6 is H or methyl, and n is 2, 3 or 4, (C) an organic solvent, and (D) a photoacid generator is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has improved sensitivity and transparency at a wavelength of less than 200 nm.

Abstract: A method for forming an anti-reflective coating on a semiconductor substrate, including providing a first vessel containing an anti-reflective coating component and a second vessel containing a solvent. The anti-reflective coating component from the first vessel and the solvent from the second vessel are supplied to a mixing chamber. The anti-reflective coating component and the solvent are mixed in the mixing chamber to form a product. The product is transferred to the semiconductor substrate. The product is applied to the semiconductor substrate to form the anti-reflective coating. A system for forming an anti-reflective coating on a semiconductor substrate, including a first vessel for containing an anti-reflective coating component and a second vessel for containing a solvent.

Abstract: An improved method for applying polymeric antireflective coatings to substrate surfaces and the resulting precursor structures are provided. Broadly, the methods comprise plasma enhanced chemical vapor depositing (PECVD) a polymer on the substrate surfaces. The PECVD processes comprise providing a quantity of a polymer generated by introducing monomer vapors into a plasma state followed by polymerization thereof, with assistance of plasma energy, onto the surface of a substrate. The most preferred starting monomers are phenylacetylene, 4-ethynyltoluene, and 1-ethynyl-2-fluorobenzene. The inventive methods are useful for providing highly conformal antireflective coatings on large surface substrates having super submicron (0.25 ?m or smaller) features. The process provides a much faster deposition rate than conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods, is environmentally friendly, and is economical.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprising: (A) a fluorine group-containing resin having: a structure wherein at least one of the main chain and the side chain of the polymer skeleton has at least one fluorine atom; and having a group capable of decomposing under the action of an acid to increase the solubility in an alkali developer; (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with one of actinic ray and radiation, and (C) a surfactant containing at least one of a silicon atom and a fluorine atom.

Abstract: The present invention includes polymers and photoresist compositions that comprise the polymers as a resin binder component. Photoresists of the invention include chemically-amplified positive-acting resists that can be effectively imaged at short wavelengths such as sub-200 nm, particularly 193 nm. Polymers of the invention suitably contain 1) photoacid labile groups that preferably contain an alicyclic moiety; 2) a polymerized electron-deficient monomer; 3) a polymerized cyclic olefin moiety. Particularly preferred polymers of the invention are tetrapolymers or pentapolymers, preferably with differing polymerized norbornene units.

Abstract: New polymers and new anti-reflective compositions containing such polymers are provided. The compositions comprise a polymer (e.g., epoxy cresol novolac resins) bonded with a chromophore (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, trimellitic anhydride). The inventive compositions can be applied to substrates (e.g., silicon wafers) to form anti-reflective coating layers having high etch rates which minimize or prevent reflection during subsequent photoresist exposure and developing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel absorbing, photoimageable and aqueous developable positive-working antireflective coating composition comprising a photoacid generator and a polymer comprising at least one unit with an acid labile group and at least one unit with an absorbing chromophore. The invention further relates to a process for using such a composition. The present invention also relates to a novel absorbing, photoimageable and aqueous alkali developable positive-working antireflective coating composition comprising a polymer comprising at least one unit with an acid labile group, a dye and a photoacid generator. The invention further relates to a process for using such a composition. The invention also relates to a novel process for forming a positive image with a positive photoresist and a novel photoimageable and aqueous developable positive-working antireflective coating composition, where the antireflective coating comprises a polymer comprising an acid labile group.

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 photosensitive polymer comprises a fluorinated ethylene glycol group and a chemically amplified resist composition including the photosensitive polymer. The photosensitive polymer has a weight average molecular weight of about 3,000-50,000 having a repeating unit as follows: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or methyl group, and R2 is a fluorinated ethylene glycol group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A positive photosensitive composition comprising (A) a compound capable of generating a fluorine-substituted alkanesulfonic acid having 2 to 4 carbon atoms by irradiation of actinic rays or radiation, (B) a resin having a monocyclic or polycyclic alicyclic hydrocarbon structure and being decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developer, (C) a basic compound, and (D) a fluorine and/or silicon surfactant.

Abstract: The invention includes new polymers and methods for providing such polymers and photoresists that comprises the polymers. Methods of the invention include those that comprise providing a reaction mixture and adding over the course of a polymerization reaction one or more polymerization reagents to the reaction mixture to provide the polymer. Photoresists containing a polymer of the invention can exhibit significantly improved lithographic properties.

Abstract: Photoacid generator salts comprising photoactive cationic moieties and segmented, highly fluorinated-hydrocarbon anionic moieties are disclosed which provide high photoacid strength and can be tailored for solubility and polarity. The present invention further relates to photoacid generators as they are used in photoinitiated acid-catalyzed processes for uses such as photoresists for microlithography and photopolymerization.

Abstract: A polymer having a repeating unit comprising a copolymer of butadiene sulfone and maleic anhydride, and a chemically amplified resist composition comprising the polymer. The resist composition includes a photosensitive polymer having a first repeating unit comprising a copolymer of butadiene sulfone and maleic anhydride, the first repeating unit represented by a formula: and a second repeating unit copolymerized with the first repeating unit.

Abstract: An organic anti-reflective coating composition and a method for forming photoresist patterns using the same are disclosed which can prevent reflection of the lower film layer or substrate and reduce standing waves caused by light and variation of in the thickness of the photoresist itself, thereby, increasing uniformity of the photoresist pattern, with respect to a microfine pattern-forming process using photoresists for a photolithography by using ArF with 193 nm wavelength among processes for manufacturing semiconductor device. More particularly, an organic anti-reflective coating composition and a method for forming photoresist patterns using the same are disclosed which can obtain perpendicular photoresist patterns and thus inhibit breakdown and/or collapse of the patterns by comprising an acid-diffusion inhibitor.

Abstract: A resist composition excellent in balance of performance of resolution and sensitivity as well as in solubility and, particularly, suitable for use as a positive photo resist which comprises a resin having a alicyclic lactone structure unit that is insoluble in alkali by itself but becomes soluble due to the action of an acid, a solvent containing 2-heptanone and an acid generating agent, wherein a content of 2-heptanone in the solvent is in a weight ratio of from about 5 to about 95% is provided.

Abstract: A photosensitive polymer includes a copolymer containing adamantylalkyl vinyl ether, and a resist composition includes the photosensitive polymer. For example, the photosensitive polymer may include a copolymer having a formula: wherein x is an integer between 1 and 4 inclusive, R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 is an acid-labile C4 to C20 hydrocarbon group, p/(p+q+r)=0.1 to 0.4, q/(p+q+r)=0.1 to 0.5, and r/(p+q+r)=0.1 to 0.4.

Abstract: A pattern formation material of this invention contains a base polymer including a first unit represented by Chemical Formula 1 and a second unit represented by Chemical Formula 2 and, and an acid generator: wherein R1 and R3 are the same or different and are a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or an alkyl group including a fluorine atom; R2 is an atom or a group that is not released by an acid and is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cyclic aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a heterocycle, an ester group and an ether group; R4 is a protecting group released by an acid; m is an integer of 0 through 5; and a and b satisfy 0<a<1, 0<b<1 and 0<a+b≦1.

Abstract: A positive photosensitive composition containing (A) an acid generator capable of generating an acid by irradiation with actinic ray or radiation and having a structure represented by formula (I) defined in the specification and (B) a resin having a monocyclic or polycyclic alicyclic hydrocarbon structure and being decomposed by the action of an acid to increase solubility in an alkali developer.

Abstract: A novel anthracene derivative useful as an additive to a radiation-sensitive resin composition is disclosed. The anthracene derivative has the following formula (1), wherein R1 groups individually represent a hydroxyl group or a monovalent organic group having 1-20 carbon atoms, n is an integer of 0-9, X is a single bond or a divalent organic group having 1-12 carbon atoms, and R2 represents a monovalent acid-dissociable group. The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises the anthracene derivative of the formula (1), a resin insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becomes alkali soluble in the presence of an acid, and a photoacid generator. The composition is useful as a chemically-amplified resist for microfabrication utilizing deep ultraviolet rays, typified by a KrF excimer laser and ArF excimer laser.