Abstract: Alkali-developable, chemically amplified resist composition which comprises an alkali-insoluble compound having a structural unit containing a protected alkali-soluble group in which unit a protective moiety of said protected alkali-soluble group contains an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having bonded to a carbon atom thereof a —CH2—R1′ group wherein R1′ is methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl, and said alkali-soluble group is cleaved upon action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator used in combination with said compound, thereby releasing said protective moiety from the alkali-soluble group and converting said compound to an alkali-soluble one, and a photoacid generator capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation to thereby produce an acid capable of causing cleavage of said protective moiety.

Abstract: Disclosed is a negative resist composition comprising an alkaline-soluble resin and a compound having an oxetane structure. This composition further comprises an acid generator and provides a fine resist pattern with high sensitivity at a wavelength of less than 200 nm. The resist composition can be used in both monolayer and bilayer resist methods, thereby meeting the requirements for high sensitivity at a shorter wavelength and etching resistance.

Abstract: A low dielectric film forming material contains siloxane resin and polycarbosilane dissolved in solvent. By using this solution, a low dielectric film is formed which contains siloxane resin and polycarbosilane bonded to the siloxane resin. Material of a low dielectric film is provided which is suitable for inter-level insulating film material. A semiconductor device is also provided which has a low dielectric constant film and high reliability.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having enhanced reliability which is obtained by cutting a wafer encapsulated by an encapsulating material layer in such a manner that each of end faces of bumps for an external terminal is exposed, and a method of isolating a metal in an encapsulating material to allow measuring. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor element, bumps formed on a surface thereof for external terminals, and an encapsulating material layer, the encapsulating material layer being formed of an encapsulating material containing greater than 70% by weight and not greater than 90% by weight of fused silica, based on the total weight of the encapsulating material.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising, in a resist, an additive which has a melting point of 160° C. or above, contains no aromatic ring, has a molecular size of no greater than 50 Å and is soluble in the developing solution for the resist, at 1-50 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by solid weight of the resist, as well as a pattern forming process employing it. It thereby becomes possible to obtain high-resolution resist patterns.

Abstract: Alkali-developable, chemically amplified resist composition which comprises an alkali-insoluble compound having a structural unit containing a protected alkali-soluble group in which unit a protective moiety of said protected alkali-soluble group contains an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having bonded to a carbon atom thereof a —CH2—R1′ group wherein R1′ is methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl, and said alkali-soluble group is cleaved upon action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator used in combination with said compound, thereby releasing said protective moiety from the alkali-soluble group and converting said compound to an alkali-soluble one, and a photoacid generator capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation to thereby produce an acid capable of causing cleavage of said protective moiety.

Abstract: A novel chemical amplification resist composition which comprises an alkali-soluble base resin, a photoacid generator and a dissolution inhibitor and in which a cyclic or acyclic structure constituting a matrix portion of the molecule of said dissolution inhibitor contains at least one lone pair-containing portion which can provide a hydrogen bond sufficient to shift and gather an alkali-soluble moiety of said base resin to and on a side of said molecule of the dissolution inhibitor compound. The resist composition can exhibit both excellent sensitivity and resolution and accordingly can be utilized in the formation of very fine resist patterns in a lithographic process. A method for forming such resist patterns is also disclosed.

Abstract: Alkali-developable, chemically amplified resist composition which comprises an alkali-insoluble compound having a structural unit containing a protected alkali-soluble group in which unit a protective moiety of said protected alkali-soluble group contains an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having bonded to a carbon atom thereof a —CH2—R1′ group wherein R1′ is methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl, and said alkali-soluble group is cleaved upon action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator used in combination with said compound, thereby releasing said protective moiety from the alkali-soluble group and converting said compound to an alkali-soluble one, and a photoacid generator capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation to thereby produce an acid capable of causing cleavage of said protective moiety.

Abstract: The defluxing agent for flux residue after soldering contains an acid (preferably an organic acid, and particularly an acid stronger than abietic acid; for example, acrylic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, benzoic acid) and an organic solvent (for example, xylene, benzyl acetate, methyl .alpha.-hydroxyisobutyrate, cyclohexanone, methyl .beta.-methoxyisobutyrate), and if necessary it further contains a monohydric alcohol, a surfactant and a corrosion inhibitor. Rinsing is preferably performed after the cleaning, using a solvent which is miscible with the defluxing agent, in order to completely remove the acid. There is also disclosed a cleaning apparatus which may be generally used for this and other cleaning.

Abstract: A method of forming a resist pattern including the steps of: forming a resist film by coating resist on the surface of a member to be processed, the resist containing a composition A capable of increasing the volume by chemical reaction; exposing and developing the coated resist film to form a pattern having an opening; and chemically reacting fluid containing a composition B with the composition A by contacting the fluid with the composition A to change the size of the opening of the resist film, the composition B being capable of increasing the volume of the composition A by chemical reaction with the composition A. It is possible to form a fine resist pattern by a simple method.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistance head of the present invention comprises the steps of forming an organic film on a multilayered film constituting a magnetoresistance device, forming an upper film formed of resist or inorganic film on the organic film, patterning the organic film and the upper film, cutting into edges of the organic film patterns from edges of the upper film patterns inwardly to such an extent that particles of the thin film being formed on the upper film and the multilayered film do not contact to side portions of the organic film patterns.

Abstract: The defluxing agent for flux residue after soldering contains an acid (preferably an organic acid, and particularly an acid stronger than abietic acid; for example, acrylic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, benzoic acid) and an organic solvent (for example, xylene, benzyl acetate, methyl .alpha.-hydroxyisobutyrate, cyclohexanone, methyl .beta.-methoxyisobutyrate), and if necessary it further contains a monohydric alcohol, a surfactant and a corrosion inhibitor. Rinsing is preferably performed after the cleaning, using a solvent which is miscible with the defluxing agent, in order to completely remove the acid. There is also disclosed a cleaning apparatus which may be generally used for this and other cleaning.

Abstract: A negative-type resist composition which is developable in a basic aqueous solution, which comprises a film-formable, basic aqueous solution-soluble polymer with an alkali-soluble group, a compound with an allyl alcohol structure and a photoacid generator which when decomposed by absorption of image-forming radiation causes the compound with an allyl alcohol structure to become a protecting group for the alkali-soluble group, as well as a resist pattern-forming process which employs it. A basic aqueous solution can be used as the developing solution, and it is possible to form intricate patterns with a practical sensitivity and no swelling.

Abstract: Alkali-developable, chemically amplified resist composition which comprises an alkali-insoluble, film-forming compound having a structural unit containing a protected alkali-soluble group in which unit a protective moiety of said protected alkali-soluble group is cleaved upon action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator used in combination with said compound, thereby releasing a protective moiety from the alkali-soluble group and converting said compound to an alkali-soluble one, and a photoacid generator capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation to thereby produce an acid capable of causing cleavage of said protective moiety. The resist composition is particularly suitable for excimer laser lithography using an alkaline developer, and the formed resist patterns can exhibit a high sensitivity and excellent dry etch resistance without swelling.

Abstract: Alkali-developable, chemically amplified resist composition which comprises an alkali-insoluble, film-forming compound having a structural unit containing a protected alkali-soluble group in which unit a protective moiety of said protected alkali-soluble group is cleaved upon action of an acid generated from a photoacid generator used in combination with said compound, thereby releasing a protective moiety from the alkali-soluble group and converting said compound to an alkali-soluble one, and a photoacid generator capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation to thereby produce an acid capable of causing cleavage of said protective moiety. The resist composition is particularly suitable for excimer laser lithography using an alkaline developer, and the formed resist patterns can exhibit a high sensitivity and excellent dry etch resistance without swelling.

Abstract: The negative-working resist composition which comprises a (meth)acrylate copolymer comprising (a) a vinyl monomer unit which contains in a side chain thereof at least one carbon--carbon double bond which does not concern itself with any polymerization reaction, but is able to be crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, (b) an acrylamide or methacrylamide monomer unit, (c) an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid monomer unit and (d) an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid adamantyl monomer unit as well as a crosslinking agent capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation and then causing crosslinking of said copolymer upon heating. The resist composition is particularly suitable for excimer laser lithography using an aqueous basic solution as a developer, and the formed resist patterns can exhibit a high sensitivity and excellent dry etch resistance without swelling.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a chemically amplified resist composition that is able to form a resist pattern that can be exposed in short wavelength regions, has good transparency, sensitivity, dry-etch resistance and resolution, while also exhibiting excellent adhesion to the substrate. This chemically amplified resist composition comprises: the combination of a base resin comprised of a polymer that is itself insoluble in a basic aqueous solution and contains at least (A) a monomer unit I having carboxylic acid or phenol protected with a specific protective group, and (B) a monomer unit II having an ester group or ether group that contains a cyclic carbonate structure, and can become soluble in a basic aqueous solution when the protective group of the monomer unit I is deprotected by the effect of the acid; and, a photo acid generator capable of generating an acid that can provoke deprotection of the protective group of monomer unit I when decomposed by absorption of imaging radiation.

Abstract: An electroconductive pattern is formed by coating a substrate with a solution comprising 100 parts by weight of a soluble electroconductive polymer containing an organic radical capable of cross-linking with a cross-linking agent, 5 to 1,000 parts by weight of a cross-linking agent, and 100 to 100,000 parts by weight of a solvent; effecting cross-linking of the resultant coated film to obtain a cured electroconductive film having a sheet resistance of 10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature. or less; forming a pattern as an upper layer on the cured electroconductive layer; and transferring the pattern of the upper layer to the cured electroconductive layer.

Abstract: The negative-working resist composition which comprises a (meth)acrylate copolymer comprising (a) a vinyl monomer unit which contains in a side chain thereof at least one carbon--carbon double bond which does not concern itself with any polymerization reaction, but is able to be crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, (b) an acrylamide or methacrylamide monomer unit, (c) an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid monomer unit and (d) an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid adamantyl monomer unit as well as a crosslinking agent capable of being decomposed upon exposure to a patterning radiation and then causing crosslinking of said copolymer upon heating. The resist composition is particularly suitable for excimer laser lithography using an aqueous basic solution as a developer, and the formed resist patterns can exhibit a high sensitivity and excellent dry etch resistance without swelling.

Abstract: A composition for forming a conductivity imparting agent comprising:(a) 0.1 to 20 parts by weight of sulfonated polyaniline having a content of a sulfonic acid group of 20 to 80% with respect to an aromatic ring of the sulfonated polyaniline;(b) 100 parts by weight of a solvent;(c) 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of an amine and/or quaternary ammonium salt; and(d) 0.001 to 100 parts by weight of at least one kind of a sulfonic acid group-containing component selected from the following (A) and (B);(A) compounds having a sulfonic acid group; and(B) polymers having a sulfonic acid group.