Abstract: A positive resist composition capable of realizing an improvement in resolution, a reduction in LER, and a reduction in the level of defects, as well as a method of forming a resist pattern. This composition and method provide: a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A) containing a structural unit (a1) derived from an (?-methyl)hydroxystyrene, represented by a general formula (1) shown below, and a structural unit (a2) represented by a general formula (2) shown below, wherein the solubility rate of the component (A) in a 2.38% by weight aqueous solution of TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydroxide) is within a range from 100 to 1000 ?/second, as well as a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a composition.

Abstract: A positive resist composition capable of improving the occurrence of standing waves on the side walls of a resist pattern, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a positive resist composition. The positive resist composition comprises a resin component (A) that displays improved alkali solubility under the action of acid, and a photoacid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, wherein the component (A) comprises a structural unit (a1) derived from hydroxystyrene, and a structural unit (a2) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester represented by a general formula (I) shown below, and the component (B) comprises a diazomethane based photoacid generator as the primary component.

Abstract: A positive resist composition includes a resin (A) that increases alkali solubility due to action of an acid, wherein the resin comprises a copolymer containing a first structural unit (a1) derived from hydroxystyrene, and a second structural unit (a2) derived from a (meth)acrylate with an alcoholic hydroxyl group, and a weight average molecular weight of the copolymer is within a range from 2000 to 8500, and 10 mol % to 25 mol % of a combined total of hydroxyl groups within the structural units (a1) and alcoholic hydroxyl groups within the structural units (a2) are protected with acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting groups, an acid generator (B) that generates an acid on exposure to light, and polypropylene glycol (C).

Abstract: The object is to form a resist pattern to be applicable to a thermal flow process with a small changing amount of the resist pattern size per unit temperature, high uniformity within the plane of the resist hole pattern size obtained and an excellent cross sectional profile.

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: 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 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.

Abstract: A resist developer capable of forming a high resolution resist pattern with good shape and little film thinning is provided, together with a resist pattern formation method using such a developer. The resist developer is an aqueous solution comprising an ammonium hydroxide represented by a general formula (I): R1nR24−nN+.OH− wherein R1 is a lower alkyl group in which the number of carbon atoms is A, R2 is a lower alkyl group in which the number of carbon atoms is B, A<B, and n is an integer from 1 to 3.

Abstract: A photosensitive laminate includes a substrate and a resist layer 500 to 5800 angstroms thick formed on the substrate. A composition for the resist layer includes (A) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation with radioactive ray, (B) an alkali-soluble novolak resin, and (C) a compound having at least one acid-decomposable dissolution-inhibiting group, and the dissolution-inhibiting group is decomposable by action of an acid generated from the ingredient (A) to yield an organic carboxylic acid. This photosensitive laminate is sequentially subjected to selective exposure to KrF excimer laser light or to light having a short wavelength equal to or less than that of F2 laser, post-exposure baking, and developing with an alkali to yield a resist pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resist composition comprising (A) polyhydroxystyrene in which at least a portion of hydrogen atoms of hydroxyl groups are substituted with an acid-dissociable dissolution inhibiting group, and the solubility in an alkali solution of the polyhydroxystyrene increasing when the acid-dissociable dissolution inhibiting group is eliminated by an action of an acid, and (B) a component capable of generating an acid by irradiation with radiation, wherein a retention rate of the acid-dissociable dissolution inhibiting group of the component (A) after a dissociation test using hydrochloric acid is 40% or less, and also provides a chemical amplification type positive resist composition which contains polyhydroxystyrene in which at least a portion of hydrogen atoms of hydroxyl groups are substituted with a lower alkoxy-alkyl group having a straight-chain or branched alkoxy group, and the solubility in an alkali solution of the polyhydroxystyrene increasing when the lower alkoxy-alkyl group

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for decreasing the surface defects of a patterned photoresist layer on a substrate surface obtained by the procedure comprising the steps of (a) forming a photoresist layer of a positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition on the substrate surface, (b) patternwise exposing the photoresist layer to actinic rays, (c) subjecting the patternwise-exposed photoresist layer to a post-exposure baking treatment and (d) a development treatment. The improvement can be accomplished by bringing the photoresist layer after the post-exposure baking treatment into contact with an aqueous acidic solution having a pH of 3.5 or lower for 1 to 90 seconds. The acid contained in the aqueous acidic solution is preferably an aromatic sulfonic acid or, more preferably, a diphenyl ether sulfonic acid such as dodecyl(diphenyl ether)disulfonic acids.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for decreasing the surface defects of a patterned photoresist layer on a substrate surface obtained by the procedure comprising the steps of (a) forming a photoresist layer of a positive-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition on the substrate surface, (b) patternwise exposing the photoresist layer to actinic rays, (c) subjecting the patternwise-exposed photoresist layer to a post-exposure baking treatment and (d) a development treatment. The improvement can be accomplished by bringing the photoresist layer after the post-exposure baking treatment into contact with an aqueous acidic solution having a pH of 3.5 or lower for 1 to 90 seconds. The acid contained in the aqueous acidic solution is preferably an aromatic sulfonic acid or, more preferably, a diphenyl ether sulfonic acid such as dodecyl(diphenyl ether) disulfonic acids.

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 a combination of a first resin of which from 30 to 60% 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 a weight proportion of 1.9 to 9:1.

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.

Abstract: The invention discloses a photolithographic patterning method of a photoresist layer for the formation of a patterned resist layer on a substrate surface having a fine hole pattern. The inventive method comprises the steps of forming a patterned resist layer by using a specific chemical-amplification positive-working photoresist composition compounded with a di- or polyvinyloxy compound such as cyclohexanedimethonol divinyl ether as a crosslinking agent of the resinous ingredient and subjecting the patterned resist layer on the substrate to a heat treatment for the so-called thermal flow treatment to effect pattern size reduction of the resist pattern.

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: Disclosed is an improved, chemically-amplifying positive resist composition for radiations, especially UV rays, deep-UV rays, excimer laser beams, X-rays, electron beams. The composition comprises (A) a resin component whose solubility in an alkaline aqueous solution is increased by the action of acids, (B) a chemical compound which generates an acid when exposed to radiations, and (C) an organic carboxylic acid compound and (D) an amine, in which said resin component (A) is a mixture comprising (a) a polyhydroxystyrene having a weight-average molecular weight of from 8,000 to 25,000 and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 1.