Abstract: A resist composition for electron beam or extreme ultraviolet (EUV), comprising a resin component (A) which exhibits changed alkali solubility under action of acid, and a photoacid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, wherein the component (B) comprises at least one onium salt selected from the group consisting of onium salts having an anion represented by formula (b-0-1) or (b-0-2) shown below: wherein X represents an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, in which at least one hydrogen atom is substituted with a fluorine atom; and each of Y and Z independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 atoms, in which at least one hydrogen atom is substituted with a fluorine atom.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a base material for a pattern-forming material (A), which contains a protector (X1) of a polyhydric phenol compound (x) having two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight of 300 to 2,500, in which a portion of the phenolic hydroxyl groups are protected with an acid-dissociable, dissolution-inhibiting group, and an acid generator component (B) that generates an acid upon exposure, wherein the component (B) contains an onium salt-based acid generator (B1) with an alkylsulfonate ion as an anion.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer compound capable of forming a positive resist composition that can form a high-resolution pattern with a reduced level of LER, an acid generator formed from such a polymer compound, a positive resist composition that includes such a polymer compound, and a method for forming a resist pattern that uses such a positive resist composition.

Abstract: A process for refining a crude resin for a resist which is capable of effectively removing by-products such as polymers and oligomers contained within the crude resin. The refining process for the crude resin of resist resin (A) used in a photoresist composition includes at least the resist resin (A) and an acid generator (B) dissolved in a first organic solvent (C1), such that if the concentration of the component (A) in the photoresist composition is labeled X, and the crude resin concentration of the component (A) in a crude resin solution including the crude resin of the component (A) dissolved in a second organic solvent (C2) is labeled Y, then (i) the crude resin solution is prepared so that Y is smaller than X, and (ii) the crude resin solution is subsequently filtered.

Abstract: A polymer compound that, within a chemically amplified positive resist system, exhibits a significant change in alkali solubility from a state prior to exposure to that following exposure, as well as a photoresist composition that includes such a polymer compound and a method for forming a resist pattern, which are capable of forming fine patterns with a high level of resolution. The polymer compound includes, as an alkali-soluble group (i), a substituent group in which a group selected from amongst alcoholic hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, and phenolic hydroxyl groups is protected with an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group (ii) represented by a general formula (1) shown below: [Formula 1] —CH2—O-AO—CH2—]n??(1) (wherein, A represents an organic group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms with a valency of at least n+1, and n represents an integer from 1 to 4).

Abstract: A positive resist composition that includes a resin component (A) and an acid-generator component (B), wherein the component (A) is a copolymer that includes a structural unit (a1) derived from a mono(?-lower alkyl)acrylate that contains an acid-dissociable, dissolution-inhibiting group, a structural unit (b1) derived from a mono(?-lower alkyl)acrylate that contains a lactone ring, and a structural unit (c1) derived from a poly(?-lower alkyl)acrylate. A positive resist composition that includes a resin component (A) and an acid generator component (B), wherein the component (A) is a star polymer that includes a core that contains acid-dissociable, dissolution-inhibiting groups, and arms that are bonded to the core.

Abstract: A positive type resin composition comprising (A) a resin component comprising within the principal chain a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate ester and incorporating an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group containing a polycyclic group on an ester side chain section, for which the solubility in alkali increases under the action of acid, (B) an acid generator component which generates acid on exposure, and (C) an organic solvent, wherein the component (A) comprises both a structural unit derived from a methacrylate ester and a structural unit derived from an acrylate ester. According to such a resist composition, a resist pattern can be formed which displays little surface roughness and line edge roughness on etching, and also offers excellent resolution and a wide depth of focus range.

Abstract: A resist composition which is stable relative to solvents used in immersion lithography processes and displays excellent sensitivity and resist pattern profile, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a resist composition are provided. The resist composition is in accordance with predetermined parameters, or is a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A) which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and displays increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B), and an organic solvent (C), wherein the component (A) contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, but contains no structural units (a0), including structural units (a0-1) containing an anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid and structural units (a0-2) containing a phenolic hydroxyl group.

Abstract: A resist composition which is stable relative to solvents used in immersion lithography processes and displays excellent sensitivity and resist pattern profile, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a resist composition are provided. The resist composition is in accordance with predetermined parameters, or is a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A) which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and displays increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B), and an organic solvent (C), wherein the component (A) contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, but contains no structural units (a0), including structural units (a0-1) containing an anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid and structural units (a0-2) containing a phenolic hydroxyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provide a polymer compound whereby the alkali solubility greatly changes before and after exposure in a chemically amplified positive resist, and a photoresist composition including the polymer compound and a resist pattern formation method which can form a fine pattern with high resolution. The photoresist composition and the resist pattern formation method use the polymer compound including at least one substituent group selected from an alcoholic hydroxyl group, a phenolic hydroxyl group, or a carboxyl group as an alkali soluble group (i), wherein the substituent group is protected by an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group (ii) represented by a general formula (1): —CH2—O—R??(1) (wherein R represents an organic group containing no more than 20 carbon atoms and at least one hydrophilic group).

Abstract: A resist composition and a method of forming a resist pattern that enable contamination within the exposure apparatus to be prevented in lithography processes using an electron beam or EUV (extreme ultraviolet light). In this method, an organic solvent containing, as the principal component, one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME), methyl amyl ketone (MAK), butyl acetate (BuOAc), and 3-methyl methoxy propionate (MMP) is used as the resist solvent.

Abstract: A resin for photoresist compositions is disclosed with excellent resolution and line edge roughness characteristics. A photoresist composition and a method for forming a resist pattern using such a resin are also disclosed. The resin has a hydroxyl group bonded to a carbon atom at a polymer terminal, and the carbon atom in the ?-position to the hydroxyl group has at least one electron attractive group.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chemical-amplification negative-working photoresist composition used for photolithographic patterning in the manufacture of semiconductor devices suitable for patterning light-exposure to ArF excimer laser beams and capable of giving a high-resolution patterned resist layer free from swelling and having an orthogonal cross sectional profile by alkali-development. The characteristic ingredient of the composition is the resinous compound which has two types of functional groups, e.g., hydroxyalkyl groups and carboxyl or carboxylate ester groups, capable of reacting each with the other to form intramolecular and/or intermolecular ester linkages in the presence of an acid released from the radiation-sensitive acid generating agent to cause insolubilization of the resinous ingredient in an aqueous alkaline developer solution.

Abstract: A high-molecular compound and a low-molecular compound or both having an alkali-soluble site (i) wherein at least a part of the alkali-soluble site (i) is protected with (ii) a halogen atom-containing acetal type acid-dissociative, dissolution inhibiting group, as well as a photoresist composition comprising the same. The photoresist composition is highly stable during storage and can give a resist pattern excellent in sectional rectangular shape and having high transparency to an exposure light, particularly a light having a wavelength of 300 nm or less.

Abstract: A resist composition is disclosed which is capable of suppressing the surface roughness that occurs within a resist pattern, either following etching or following developing, or preferably following both processes. A resist pattern is formed using a positive resist composition that includes: a resin component (A), which contains at least one structural unit (a1) containing a lactone represented by one of the general formulas (1) through (4) shown below: (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and m is either 0 or 1), and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid; an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure; and an organic solvent (C).

Abstract: A positive resist composition that exhibits excellent resolution and depth of focus, a resin for resists which is used in the positive resist composition, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses the positive resist composition. The resin for resists includes structural units (a) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester as a principal component, wherein these structural units (a) include structural units (a1) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, and lactone-containing monocyclic groups, and the structural units (a1) include structural units represented by the general formula (a1-1) shown below [wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, and R11 represents an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group that contains a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group and contains no polycyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon groups].

Abstract: A resist composition is disclosed that enables formation of a favorable resist pattern using a shrink process in which, following formation of the resist pattern, a treatment such as heating is used to narrow the resist pattern, and also disclosed are a laminate and a method for forming a resist pattern that use such a resist composition. This resist composition includes a resin component (A) that displays changed alkali solubility under the action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure. The component (A) contains structural units derived from a (meth)acrylate ester, and exhibits a glass transition temperature that falls within a range from 120 to 170° C.

Abstract: There are provided a method of forming a resist pattern that enables the resist pattern to be formed with good control of the pattern size, as well as a positive resist composition used in the method, and a layered product formed using the positive resist composition. In the above method a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A), which contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester represented by a general formula (I) shown below, and displays increased alkali solubility under action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure is applied to a substrate, a prebake is conducted, the resist composition is selectively exposed, post exposure baking (PEB) is conducted, alkali developing is then used to form a resist pattern, and the pattern size of the thus produced resist pattern is then narrowed by heat treatment.

Abstract: There is provided a positive type resin composition comprising (A) a resin component comprising within the principal chain a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate ester and incorporating an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group containing a polycyclic group on an ester side chain section, for which the solubility in alkali increases under the action of acid, (B) an acid generator component which generates acid on exposure, and (C) an organic solvent, wherein the component (A) comprises both a structural unit derived from a methacrylate ester and a structural unit derived from an acrylate ester. According to such a resist composition, a resist pattern can be formed which displays little surface roughness and line edge roughness on etching, and also offers excellent resolution and a wide depth of focus range.

Abstract: There is provided technology that enables the suppression of the surface roughness that occurs within a resist pattern, either following etching or following developing, or preferably following both processes. According to this technology, a resist pattern is formed using a positive resist composition including a resin component (A), which contains a structural unit (a1) containing a lactone, as represented by a general formula shown below, and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group), an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, and an organic solvent (C).