Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and the like, having a wide depth of focus (DOF) to both a line-and-space pattern and an isolated space pattern, and exhibiting a minimal line width change due to fluctuation of a bake temperature, and having a small line width limit in which the line pattern destroying phenomenon does not occur, and a lactone-containing copolymer useful as a resin component of the composition are provided. The lactone-containing copolymer is represented by a copolymer of the following compounds (1-1), (2-1), and (3-1). The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises (a) the lactone-containing copolymer and (b) a photoacid generator.

Abstract: A compound is shown by the following formula (5) in which at least one of Rf groups represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A? represents a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylene group having at least one hetero atom, or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents an onium cation, m represents a natural number of 1 to 3, and p represents a natural number of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A compound is shown by the following formula (5) in which at least one of Rf groups represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A? represents a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylene group having at least one hetero atom, or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents an onium cation, m represents a natural number of 1 to 3, and p represents a natural number of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition is provided which has high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and, in particular, a high resolution radiation-sensitive resin composition providing a wide DOF and excelling in LER. Also provided are a polymer which can be used in the composition and a novel compound useful for synthesizing the polymer. The novel compound is shown by the following formula (2), wherein R4 represents a methyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a hydrogen atom, at least one of the Rfs represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A represents a divalent organic group or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents a metal ion or an onium cation, m represents an integer of 1 to 3, and p is an integer of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition is provided which has high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and, in particular, a high resolution radiation-sensitive resin composition providing a wide DOF and excelling in LER. Also provided are a polymer which can be used in the composition and a novel compound useful for synthesizing the polymer. The novel compound is shown by the following formula (2), wherein R4 represents a methyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a hydrogen atom, at least one of the Rfs represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A represents a divalent organic group or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents a metal ion or an onium cation, m represents an integer of 1 to 3, and p is an integer of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and the like, having a wide depth of focus (DOF) to both a line-and-space pattern and an isolated space pattern, and exhibiting a minimal line width change due to fluctuation of a bake temperature, and having a small line width limit in which the line pattern destroying phenomenon does not occur, and a lactone-containing copolymer useful as a resin component of the composition are provided. The lactone-containing copolymer is represented by a copolymer of the following compounds (1-1), (2-1), and (3-1). The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises (a) the lactone-containing copolymer and (b) a photoacid generator.

Abstract: A positive tone radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A) a 1-substituted imidazole, (B) a photoacid generator, and (C-a) a resin protected by an acid-dissociable group, insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becoming soluble in alkali when the acid-dissociable group dissociates or (C-b) an alkali-soluble resin and an alkali solubility controller, and a negative tone radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A), (B), (D) an alkali-soluble resin, and (E) a compound that can crosslink the alkali-soluble resin in the presence of an acid. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention is a chemically amplified resist exhibiting high resolution and high storage stability as a composition, and suitable for microfabrication sensible to active radiations, for example, ultraviolet rays such as g-lines and i-lines, deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser, ArF excimer laser, F2 excimer laser, and EUV excimer laser, and electron beams.

Abstract: An onium salt compound having a cation moiety of the following formula (1) is disclosed. wherein A represents I or S, m is 1 or 2, n is 0 or 1, x is 1–10, and Ar1 and Ar2 are (substituted) aromatic hydrocarbon group, and P represents —O—SO2R, —O—S(O)R, or —SO2R, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a (substituted) alkyl group, or a (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group. The onium salt compound is suitable as a photoacid generator for photoresists of a positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition. The positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition containing this compound is useful as a chemically-amplified photoresist exhibiting high resolution at high sensitivity, responsive to various radiations, and having outstanding storage stability.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition which is a resist having properties such as excellent sensitivity, a small degree of line edge roughness of patterns, capability of inhibiting pattern collapsing, and the like is provided. The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises an acid-dissociable group-containing polymer having recurring units of the following formulas (1-1) and (1-2), an additive of the following formula (1-3), and an acid generator, in the formula (1-1), R1 represents a methyl group and the like and X represents a specific polycyclic alicyclic hydrocarbon group and the like, in the formula (1-2), R1 represents a methyl group and the like and Z represents an acid-dissociable group which is dissociable by the action of an acid, and in the formula (1-3), n is an integer from 1-8 and A individually represents a hydroxyl group and the like.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising an acid-labile group-containing resin obtained by living radical polymerization having a specific structure which is insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becomes alkali soluble by the action of an acid, and a photoacid generator, wherein the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight (weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight) of the acid-labile group-containing resin is smaller than 1.5.

Abstract: A novel photoacid generator containing a structure of the following formula (I), wherein R is a monovalent organic group with a fluorine content of 50 wt % or less, a nitro group, a cyano group, or a hydrogen atom, and Z1 and Z2 are individually a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms, is provided. When used in a chemically amplified radiation-sensitive resin composition, the photoacid generator exhibits high transparency, comparatively high combustibility, and no bioaccumulation, and produces an acid exhibiting high acidity, high boiling point, moderately short diffusion length in the resist coating, and low dependency to mask pattern density.

Abstract: A positive tone radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A) a 1-substituted imidazole, (B) a photoacid generator, and (C-a) a resin protected by an acid-dissociable group, insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becoming soluble in alkali when the acid-dissociable group dissociates or (C-b) an alkali-soluble resin and an alkali solubility controller, and a negative tone radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A), (B), (D) an alkali-soluble resin, and (E) a compound that can crosslink the alkali-soluble resin in the presence of an acid. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention is a chemically amplified resist exhibiting high resolution and high storage stability as a composition, and suitable for microfabrication sensible to active radiations, for example, ultraviolet rays such as g-lines and i-lines, deep ultraviolet rays represented by a KrF excimer laser, ArF excimer laser, F2 excimer laser, and EUV excimer laser, and electron beams.

Abstract: An onium salt compound having a cation moiety of the following formula (1) is disclosed. wherein A represents I or S, m is 1 or 2, n is 0 or 1, x is 1-10, and Ar1 and Ar2 are (substituted) aromatic hydrocarbon group, and P represents —O—SO2R, —O—S(O)R, or —SO2R, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a (substituted) alkyl group, or a (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group. The onium salt compound is suitable as a photoacid generator for photoresists of a positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition. The positive-tone radiation-sensitive resin composition containing this compound is useful as a chemically-amplified photoresist exhibiting high resolution at high sensitivity, responsive to various radiations, and having outstanding storage stability.

Abstract: A sulfonyloxime compound is provided which is represented by a general formula (1): wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group; R2 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group; X represents a halogen atom; Y represents —R3, a —CO—R3 group, —COO—R3 group, —CONR3R4 group, —S—R3 group, —SO—R3 group, —SO2—R3 group, a —CN group or a —NO2 group, and R3 and R4 within the Y group each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group, although any two of R1, R2 and R3 may also be bonded together to form a cyclic structure, and furthermore dimers of a compound represented by the general formula (1) in which R1, R2 or Y groups from separate molecules are bonded together to form a single bivalent group, are also possible.

Abstract: A novel photoacid generator containing a structure of the following formula (I), 1

Abstract: A sulfonyloxime compound is provided which is represented by a general formula (1): 1

Abstract: The apparatus enables measurement of the amount of contaminant in a welded portion to high accuracy and in a short time, using an X-ray fluorescence inspection apparatus. The end portion of a fuel rod having a bead portion on an end surface of an end plug is covered with an approximately cylindrical cap, with the bead portion exposed via a central aperture. The material of the cap is preferably titanium. With titanium the fluorescent X-ray radiation has a different wavelength from that of tungsten and zircaloy, and the amount of fluorescent X-ray radiation detected by a detector at a diffraction angle of the spectrum W-L &agr; of fluorescent X-ray radiation for tungsten is less than those for tungsten and zircaloy. Therefore, while the fluorescent X-ray radiation of the cap which covers the end surface of the end plug around the bead portion results in noise, the amount of this fluorescent X-ray radiation measured by the detector is much smaller than for the tungsten and the zircaloy of the bead portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fuel rod of the present invention includes a welding step of welding a cladding tube of said fuel rod to a plug by arc discharge; and a post welding step of subsequently discharging an arc to a welded portion by a predetermined arc current lower than that of the welding step. In the welding step and in the post welding step, the cladding tube and the plug are rotated with respect to an electrode for discharging the arc. The rotation speed of the cladding tube and the plug in the post welding step is higher than that in the welding step.

Abstract: A fuel rod for a light water reactor comprises a cladding tube which comprises a zirconium alloy having a composition including 0.6 to 2.0% by weight of Nb, 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of Sn, 0.05 to 0.3% by weight of Fe, and the balance being Zr and incidental impurities; uranium oxide fuel pellets packed in the cladding tube; and end plugs comprising a zirconium alloy and closing both ends of the cladding tube. The cladding tube is sealed by TIG welding with the end plugs. Grain boundaries in each heat affected zone of the cladding tube, which are adjacent to a bead formed by TIG welding, have structural compositions including 4 to 30% by weight of Nb, and 0.9 to 20% by weight of Fe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for welding comprising the steps of: contacting a plurality of workpieces to be welded having different heat capacities so as to form a boundary portion therebetween; placing a welding electrode in proximity to the boundary portion; generating an arc discharge between the welding electrode and the boundary portion; and supplying gas to the boundary portion, wherein more gas being supplied to one of the workpieces having a lower heat capacity than another workpiece having a higher heat capacity.