Abstract: The invention discloses a chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition in the form of a solution which is particularly suitable for the formation, on the surface of a substrate, of a photoresist layer having a thickness of 100 to 650 nm to be in compliance with the trend toward increasing fineness of photolithographic patterning in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises an organic compound capable of generating an acid by exposure to actinic rays, and a film-forming resinous compound having acid-dissociable substituent groups and capable of being imparted with increased solubility in an aqueous alkaline solution by interacting with an acid and a surface active agent in an amount not exceeding 50 ppm by weight based on the resinous compound, optionally, in combination with a tertiary aliphatic amine compound and/or a carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A positive resist composition, comprising a resin component (A) that exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, wherein the component (A) includes either a silsesquioxane resin (A1) containing structural units (a1) represented by a general formula (I) shown below, structural units (a2) represented by a general formula (II) shown below, and structural units (a3) represented by a general formula (III) shown below, or a silsesquioxane resin (A2) containing structural units (al) represented by the general formula (I) shown below, and structural units (a2?) represented by a general formula (II?) shown below.

Abstract: A composition for formation of an antireflection film having an excellent etching resistant characteristic and ability to prevent reflection of short-wavelength light (absorption ability of short-wavelength light) as well as excellent time dependent stability, and an antireflection film in which the same is used, are provided. A composition for formation of an antireflection film including a siloxane compound having a light-absorbing group and a crosslinking group, the siloxane compound being blocked with a capping group, is provided. By thus blocking the siloxane compound with a capping group, time dependent stability can be improved without deteriorating etching resistance, and ability to prevent reflection.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) containing an acid dissociable dissolution inhibiting group whose alkali solubility increases under action of acid and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, wherein the resin component (A) is a copolymer comprising a first structural unit (a1) derived from a hydroxystyrene and a second structural unit (a2) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester containing an alcoholic hydroxyl group, in which 10 mol % or more and 25 mol % or less of a combined total of hydroxyl groups within the structural units (a1) and alcoholic hydroxyl groups within the structural units (a2) are protected with the acid dissociable dissolution inhibiting groups, and a weight average molecular weight of the copolymer prior to protection with the acid dissociable dissolution inhibiting groups is 2,000 or more and 8,500 or less.

Abstract: A composition for forming an antireflection coating, characterized in that it comprises an organic solvent and, dissolved therein, (A) a ladder silicone copolymer containing (a1) 10 to 90 mole % of a (hydroxyphenylalkyl)silsesquioxane unit, (a2) 0 to 50 mole % of a (alkoxyphenylalkyl)silsesquioxane unit and (a3) 10 to 90 mole % of an alkyl or phenylsilsesquioxane unit, (B) an acid generator generating an acid upon exposure to heat or light, and (C) a crosslinking agent, and is capable of forming an antireflection coating exhibiting an optional parameter (k value) for an ArF laser of the range of 0.002 to 0.95. The composition is soluble in an organic solvent, can be applied by a conventional spin coating method with ease, has good storage stability, and can exhibit an adjusted preventive capability for reflection through the introduction of a chromophoric group absorbing a radiation ray thereto.

Abstract: A chemical-amplification type silicone-based positive-working resist composition that can be prepared from compounds of good availability as the base materials through simple means and can provide a bilayer resist material from which a fine pattern of high resolution, high aspect ratio, desirable cross-sectional profile and low line edge roughness can be formed. In particular, a chemical-amplification type positive-working resist composition comprising an alkali soluble resin (A) and a photoacid generator (B) wherein a ladder-type silicone copolymer comprising (hydroxyphenylalkyl)silsesquioxane units (a1), (alkoxyphenylalkyl)silsesquioxane units (a2) and alkyl- or phenylsilsesquioxane units (a3) is used as the alkali soluble resin (A). The copolymer wherein, in the component (A), the units (a3) are phenylsilsesquioxane units is a novel compound.

Abstract: A composition for forming an antireflection coating, characterized in that it comprises an organic solvent and, dissolved therein, (A) a ladder silicone copolymer containing (a1) 10 to 90 mole % of a (hydroxyphenylalkyl)silses-quioxane unit, (a2) 0 to 50 mole % of a (alkoxyphenylalkyl)silsesquioxane unit and (a3) 10 to 90 mole % of an alkyl or phenylsilsesquioxane unit, (B) an acid generator generating an acid upon exposure to heat or light, and (C) a crosslinking agent, and is capable of forming an antireflection coating exhibiting an optional parameter (k value) for an ArF laser of the range of 0.002 to 0.95. The composition is soluble in an organic solvent, can be applied by a conventional spin coating method with ease, has good storage stability, and can exhibit an adjusted preventive capability for reflection through the introduction of a chromophoric group absorbing a radiation ray thereto.

Abstract: A method for forming a photoresist pattern involves the steps of: depositing a photoresist film on a substrate, the photoresist film containing an acid-generating agent capable of generating an acid upon exposure to light; overlaying an antireflective film over the photoresist film, the antireflective film containing a fluorine-based acidic compound; selectively exposing the photoresist; and developing the photoresist. The novel method is characterized in that the acid-generating agent and the fluorine-based acidic compound are selected so that the acid that the acid-generating agent generates in the photoresist film upon exposure to light has a higher acidity than the fluorine-based acidic compound in the antireflective film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition capable of giving an extremely finely patterned resist layer in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises: (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymeric resin consisting of from 50 to 85% by moles of (a) hydroxyl group-containing styrene units, from 15 to 35% by moles of (b) styrene units and from 2 to 20% by moles of (c) acrylate or methacrylate ester units each having a solubility-reducing group capable of being eliminated in the presence of an acid; and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent which is an onium salt containing a fluoroalkyl sulfonate ion having 3 to 10 carbon atoms as the anion such as bis(4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium nonafluorobutane sulfonate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition capable of giving an extremely finely patterned resist layer in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises: (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymeric resin consisting of from 50 to 85% by moles of (a) hydroxyl group-containing styrene units, from 15 to 35% by moles of (b) styrene units and from 2 to 20% by moles of (c) acrylate or methacrylate ester units each having a solubility-reducing group capable of being eliminated in the presence of an acid; and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent which is an onium salt containing a fluoroalkyl sulfonate ion having 3 to 10 carbon atoms as the anion such as bis(4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium nonafluorobutane sulfonate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition capable of giving an extremely finely patterned resist layer in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises: (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymeric resin consisting of from 50 to 85% by moles of (a) hydroxyl group-containing styrene units, from 15 to 35% by moles of (b) styrene units and from 2 to 20% by moles of (c) acrylate or methacrylate ester units each having a solubility-reducing group capable of being eliminated in the presence of an acid; and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent which is an iodonium salt containing a fluoroalkyl sulfonate ion having 3 to 10 carbon atoms as the anion such as bis(4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium nonafluorobutane sulfonate.

Abstract: A method for forming a photoresist pattern involves the steps of: depositing a photoresist film on a substrate, the photoresist film containing an acid-generating agent capable of generating an acid upon exposure to light; overlaying an antireflective film over the photoresist film, the antireflective film containing a fluorine-based acidic compound; selectively exposing the photoresist; and developing the photoresist. The novel method is characterized in that the acid-generating agent and the fluorine-based acidic compound are selected so that the acid that the acid-generating agent generates in the photoresist film upon exposure to light has a higher acidity than the fluorine-based acidic compound in the antireflective film.

Abstract: The invention discloses an improvement in the photolithographic patterning process of a photoresist layer in the manufacture of semiconductor devices in which occurrence of defects in the patterned resist layer can be greatly suppressed resulting in increased reliability of the semiconductor devices and productivity thereof. The improvement can be accomplished by using a chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition which exhibits a rate of film thickness reduction in the range from 0.09 to 1.0 nm/second when the photoresist layer before light-exposure is kept in a 2.38% aqueous solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide at 23° C. to dissolve away the resist layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition capable of giving an extremely finely patterned resist layer in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises: (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymeric resin consisting of from 50 to 85% by moles of (a) hydroxyl group-containing styrene units, from 15 to 35% by moles of (b) styrene units and from 2 to 20% by moles of (c) acrylate or methacrylate ester units each having a solubility-reducing group capable of being eliminated in the presence of an acid; and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent which is an iodonium salt containing a fluoroalkyl sulfonate ion having 3 to 10 carbon atoms as the anion such as bis(4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium nonafluorobutane sulfonate.

Abstract: The invention discloses a crosslinked chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition of good pattern resolution and storage stability, which is suitable for pattern size diminution by the thermal flow process after development. The composition comprises: (A) a polyhydroxystyrene resin substituted for a part of the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms by acid-dissociable solubility-reducing groups; (B) a radiation-sensitive acid-generating compound; (C) a polyvinyl ether compound as a crosslinking agent; (D) a carboxylic acid; and (E) an amine compound.

Abstract: The invention discloses an improvement in the photo-lithographic patterning process of a photoresist layer in the manufacture of semiconductor devices in which occurrence of defects in the patterned resist layer can be greatly suppressed resulting in increased reliability of the semiconductor devices and productivity thereof. The improvement can be accomplished by using a chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition which exhibits a rate of film thickness reduction in the range from 0.09 to 1.0 nm/second when the photoresist layer before light-exposure is kept in a 2.38% aqueous solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide at 23° C. to dissolve away the resist layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition capable of giving an extremely finely patterned resist layer in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices. The photoresist composition comprises: (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymeric resin consisting of from 50 to 85% by moles of (a) hydroxyl group-containing styrene units, from 15 to 35% by moles of (b) styrene units and from 2 to 20% by moles of (c) acrylate or methacrylate ester units each having a solubility-reducing group capable of being eliminated in the presence of an acid; and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent which is an onium salt containing a fluoroalkyl sulfonate ion having 3 to 10 carbon atoms as the anion such as bis(4-tert-butylphenyl) iodonium nonafluorobutane sulfonate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition capable of giving a patterned resist layer with excellent properties such as photosensitivy, pattern resolution, heat resistance and cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer. The composition is characterized by the use of, as the film-forming resinous component, a hydroxyl-containing resinous ingredient which is a combination of a first resin of which from 30 to 60% of the hydroxyl groups are substituted by acid-dissociable solubility-reducing groups and a second resin of which from 5 to 20% of the hydroxyl groups are substituted by acid-dissociable groups of the same kind as in the first resin in a weight proportion of 1.9 to 9:1.

Abstract: The invention discloses an improvement in the photo-lithographic patterning process of a photoresist layer in the manufacture of semiconductor devices in which occurrence of defects in the patterned resist layer can be greatly suppressed resulting in increased reliability of the semiconductor devices and productivity thereof. The improvement can be accomplished by using a chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition which exhibits a rate of film thickness reduction in the range from 0.09 to 1.0 nm/second when the photoresist layer before light-exposure is kept in a 2.38% aqueous solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide at 23° C. to dissolve away the resist layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition capable of giving a patterned resist layer with excellent properties such as photosensitivity, pattern resolution, heat resistance and cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer. The composition is characterized by the use of, as the film-forming resinous component, a hydroxyl-containing resinous ingredient which is a combination of a first resin of which from 30 to 60% of the hydroxyl groups are substituted by acid-dissociable solubility-reducing groups and a second resin of which from 5 to 20% of the hydroxyl groups are substituted by acid-dissociable groups of the same kind as in the first resin in a weight proportion of 1.9 to 9:1.