Abstract: Highly sensitive, highly absorbing deep ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet resists which comprise a novolak resin protected with an acid labile group and a photoinitiator which generates a strong acid upon exposure to deep ultraviolet or vacuum ultraviolet radiation. The exposed resists are reacted with organometallic compounds to form reactive ion etch resistant patterns.

Abstract: The present invention discloses particular lithographic polymeric materials and methods of using these materials, wherein the polymeric materials have acid labile or photolabile groups pendant to the polymer backbone. The polymeric materials are sufficiently transparent to deep UV radiation to permit deep UV imaging, can be used to produce resist structures having thermal stability at temperatures greater than about 160.degree. C., and are sufficiently resistant to excessive crosslinking when heated to temperatures ranging from about 160.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. that they remain soluble in common lithographic developers and strippers.The present invention also discloses resists comprising substituted polyvinyl benzoates which, after imaging, exhibit unexpectedly high thermal stability, in terms of plastic flow.

Abstract: The present invention relates to increasing the autodecomposition temperature of particular resists. The resists are comprised of structures having recurrent acid labile groups which are typically pendant to the polymeric backbone. The autodecomposition temperature of a resist is increased by selecting substituent sidechains on the acid labile group which exhibit increased stability. Sidechain structures which provide increased autodecomposition stability include secondary structures capable of forming secondary carbonium ion intermediates and having an available proton adjacent to the carbonium ion formed during cleavage. Moieties which can be used as the secondary sidechain structures include secondary alkyl, including both cyclic and alicyclic alkyl, substituted deactivated secondary benzyl, and 1-(deactivated heterocyclic) secondary alkyl.