Abstract: A mat includes a first main face and a second main face opposite to the first main face. At least two layers include a first layer occupying a first area from the first main face along a thickness direction of the mat. The first layer includes a first long fibrous substance which includes an inorganic fibrous substance. A second layer is adjacent to the first layer. The second layer includes a short fibrous substance which includes an inorganic fibrous substance and which has an average fiber length shorter than an average fiber length of the first long fibrous substance. An intertwined portion extends from the first main face to the second main face. The intertwined portion includes the first long fibrous substance and the short fibrous substance being more closely intertwined with each other than the inorganic fibrous substances in a portion except the intertwined portion.

Abstract: Problem: To provide a cleaning liquid and a cleaning method having excellent leaning capability. In a process of liquid immersion lithography, they can preventing the damage to be caused by the component released from the photoresist to photoexposure devices; the waste treatment is easy; the efficiency in substitution with the cleaning liquid for the medium for liquid immersion lithography is high, and the production cost is reduced not detracting from the throughput in semiconductor production. Means for Solution: A cleaning liquid to be used for cleaning a photoexposure device in a process of liquid immersion lithography, which comprises at least 5% by mass of a nonionic surfactant containing at least one group selected from an ethyleneoxy group, a propyleneoxy group and a polyglycerin group, and a balance of water; and a cleaning method using it.

Abstract: A mat includes a first main face and a second main face opposite to the first main face. At least two layers include a first layer occupying a first area from the first main face along a thickness direction of the mat. The first layer includes a first long fibrous substance which includes an inorganic fibrous substance. A second layer is adjacent to the first layer. The second layer includes a short fibrous substance which includes an inorganic fibrous substance and which has an average fiber length shorter than an average fiber length of the first long fibrous substance. An intertwined portion extends from the first main face to the second main face. The intertwined portion includes the first long fibrous substance and the short fibrous substance being more closely intertwined with each other than the inorganic fibrous substances in a portion except the intertwined portion.

Abstract: A method for measuring a liquid immersion lithography soluble fraction in an organic film including a mounting step of mounting a droplet of a liquid immersion medium for liquid immersion lithography on a surface of an organic film formed on a substrate; and a transfer step of transferring a component in the organic film into the droplet.

Abstract: Problem: To provide a cleaning liquid and a cleaning method having excellent leaning capability. In a process of liquid immersion lithography, they can preventing the damage to be caused by the component released from the photoresist to photoexposure devices; the waste treatment is easy; the efficiency in substitution with the cleaning liquid for the medium for liquid immersion lithography is high, and the production cost is reduced not detracting from the throughput in semiconductor production. Means for Solution: A cleaning liquid to be used for cleaning a photoexposure device in a process of liquid immersion lithography, which comprises at least 5% by mass of a nonionic surfactant containing at least one group selected from an ethyleneoxy group, a propyleneoxy group and a polyglycerin group, and a balance of water; and a cleaning method using it.

Abstract: A photoresist composition containing a polymer (A) containing an alkali-soluble constituent unit (a1) containing an alicyclic group having both a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group (i) and an alcoholic hydroxyl group (ii), whose alkali-solubility is changeable by an action of an acid; an acid generator (B) which generates an acid by light irradiation; and a dissolution inhibitor (C) having a fluorine atom(s) and/or a nitrogen-containing compound (D) selected from a tertiary amine (d1) having a polar group, a tertiary alkylamine (d2) having 7 or more and 15 or less of carbon atoms or an ammonium salt (d3). The composition has a resist property capable of accomplishing line and space (1:1) of 90 nm or less in good shape as a pattern processing accuracy of a semiconductor integrated circuit by lithography.

Abstract: A resist composition for immersion exposure including a resin component (A) that exhibits changed alkali solubility under the action of acid, wherein the resin component (A) includes a polymer compound (A1) containing a structural unit (a0) having an acid-generating group that generates acid upon irradiation.

Abstract: A method for measuring a liquid immersion lithography soluble fraction in an organic film including a mounting step of mounting a droplet of a liquid immersion medium for liquid immersion lithography on a surface of an organic film formed on a substrate and a transfer step of transferring a component in the organic film into the droplet.

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 positive resist composition for immersion exposure that includes a resin component (A) that exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid upon exposure, wherein the resin component (A) includes a resin (A1) that has alkali-soluble groups (i) having a hydrogen atom, and in a portion of these alkali-soluble groups (i), the hydrogen atom is substituted with an acid-dissociable, dissolution-inhibiting group (I) represented by a general formula (I) shown below [wherein, Z represents an aliphatic cyclic group; n represents either 0 or an integer from 1 to 3; and R1 and R2 each represent, independently, a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms].

Abstract: Provided are a polymer compound having high transparency for use in a photoresist composition for microfabrication of the next generation, a resist composition using the polymer compound as a base polymer, and a dissolution inhibitor agent composed of the polymer compound. To ensure etching resistance, an alicyclic group is introduced into a side chain portion. Hydrogen atoms on the ring of the alicyclic group are highly fluorinated to ensure transparency to light of 157 nanometer wavelength, represented by an adsorption coefficient equal to or less than 3.0 ?m?1. As the alicyclic group, a polycyclic group is preferably used. Hydrogen atoms are highly fluorinated by preferably substituting all hydrogen atoms on the ring by fluorine atoms, that is, forming a perfluoroalicyclic group. The resist composition is formed by using the polymer compound as a base polymer and further, the dissolution inhibitor agent is formed of the polymer compound.

Abstract: A resist composition for liquid immersion lithography process, which comprises: (A) a polymer comprising (a1) alkali-soluble constitutional units each comprising an alicyclic group having both (i) a fluorine atom or a fluoroalkyl group and (ii) an alcoholic hydroxyl group, wherein the polymer changes in alkali-solubility due to the action of acid; and (B) an acid generator which generates acid due to exposure to light, and a method for forming a resist pattern using the resist composition. By the resist composition or the method, an adverse effect of the immersion liquid can be avoided while achieving high resolution and high depth of focus.

Abstract: The photoresist composition is formed by including the fullerene derivative (A) having two or more malonic ester residues. Preferably, the malonic ester residue is, a group is preferably expressed by the general formula (1) below. In the formula (1), R1 and R2 independently represent an alkyl group, which may be identical or different from each other. The alkyl group is a normal or branched chain, or cyclic alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbons, and n is an integer from 2 to 10.

Abstract: A photoresist composition is provided, that includes (A) a polymer component including an alkaline-soluble constitutional unit that contains an aliphatic cyclic group having both (i) a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group and (ii) an alcoholic hydroxide group; in which the alkaline solubility of the polymer component may be changed by action of an acid; and (B) an acid generating component, capable of generating an acid by way of exposure, that contains at least a sulfonium compound expressed by the general formula (1) below; in the formula (1), X represents a C2 to C6 alkylene group of which at least a hydrogen atom is substituted by a fluorine atom; R1 to R3 represent independently of each other an aryl or alkyl group, and at least one of R1 to R3 represents an aryl group.

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 photoresist composition containing a polymer (A) containing an alkali-soluble constituent unit (a1) containing an alicyclic group having both a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group (i) and an alcoholic hydroxyl group (ii), whose alkali-solubility is changeable by an action of an acid; an acid generator (B) which generates an acid by light irradiation; and a dissolution inhibitor (C) having a fluorine atom(s) and/or a nitrogen-containing compound (D) selected from a tertiary amine (d1) having a polar group, a tertiary alkylamine (d2) having 7 or more and 15 or less of carbon atoms or an ammonium salt (d3). The composition has a resist property capable of accomplishing line and space (1:1) of 90 nm or less in good shape as a pattern processing accuracy of a semiconductor integrated circuit by lithography.

Abstract: A resist composition for liquid immersion lithography process, which comprises: (A) a polymer comprising (a1) alkali-soluble constitutional units each comprising an alicyclic group having both (i) a fluorine atom or a fluoroalkyl group and (ii) an alcoholic hydroxyl group, wherein the polymer changes in alkali-solubility due to the action of acid; and (B) an acid generator which generates acid due to exposure to light, and a method for forming a resist pattern using the resist composition. By the resist composition or the method, an adverse effect of the immersion liquid can be avoided while achieving high resolution and high depth of focus.

Abstract: Provided are a polymer compound having high transparency for use in a photoresist composition for microfabrication of the next generation, a resist composition using the polymer compound as a base polymer, and a dissolution inhibitor agent composed of the polymer compound. To ensure etching resistance, an alicyclic group is introduced into a side chain portion. Hydrogen atoms on the ring of the alicyclic group are highly fluorinated to ensure transparency to light of 157 nanometer wavelength, represented by an adsorption coefficient equal to or less than 3.0 ?m?1. As the alicyclic group, a polycyclic group is preferably used. Hydrogen atoms are highly fluorinated by preferably substituting all hydrogen atoms on the ring by fluorine atoms, that is, forming a perfluoroalicyclic group. The resist composition is formed by using the polymer compound as a base polymer and further, the dissolution inhibitor agent is formed of the polymer compound.