Abstract: A resist composition comprising a sulfonium salt of a carboxylic acid having a nitro-substituted benzene ring is provided. The carboxylic acid is free of iodine and bromine, and when the benzene ring is fluorinated, the number of fluorine atoms is up to 3. The resist composition offers a high sensitivity, reduced LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an amine compound having an iodized aromatic ring and a tertiary ester structure offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprising a base polymer comprising recurring units containing an optionally substituted amino group and iodine exhibits a high sensitivity, high resolution, low edge roughness (LER, LWR) and small size variation, and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and development.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a sulfonium salt having formula (1) as PAG, a base polymer, and an organic solvent, when processed by lithography, has light transmittance, acid diffusion suppressing effect, and excellent lithography performance factors such as DOF, LWR and MEF. A lithography process for forming a resist pattern from the composition is also provided.

Abstract: A novel carboxylic acid iodonium salt and a resist composition comprising the same as a quencher are provided. When resist composition is processed by photolithography using KrF or ArF excimer laser, EB or EUV, there is formed a resist pattern which is improved in rectangularity, MEF, LWR, and CDU.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and an onium salt of N-carbonylsulfonamide having iodized benzene ring offers a high sensitivity, minimal LWR and improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A chemically amplified negative resist composition comprising (A) a sulfurane or selenurane compound having formula (A1) wherein M is sulfur or selenium and (B) a base polymer containing a polymer comprising repeat units having formula (B1) is provided. The resist composition exhibits a high resolution during pattern formation and forms a pattern with minimal LER or LWR.

Abstract: A negative resist composition comprising an onium salt having formula (A) and a base polymer is provided. The resist composition exhibits a high resolution during pattern formation and forms a pattern with minimal LER.

Abstract: A chemically amplified positive resist composition is provided comprising (A) a sulfurane or selenurane compound having formula (A1) wherein M is sulfur or Selenium and (B) a base polymer containing a polymer comprising repeat units having formula (B1). The resist composition exhibits a high resolution during pattern formation and forms a pattern with improved LER and CDU.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of a salt of a cyclic ammonium cation with a carboxylate, sulfonamide, halogenated phenoxide or halide anion offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an amine compound having an iodized aromatic ring bonded to the nitrogen atom via a divalent hydrocarbon group offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A resist composition containing: (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having an acid-labile group and further containing at least one repeating unit having an aromatic substituent; (B) a photo-acid generator shown by a general formula (B-1); and (C) a solvent, where W1 represents a cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms with a heteroatom; W2 represents a cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms without a heteroatom; Rf represents a divalent organic group shown by the following general formula; and M+ represents an onium cation. This provides a resist composition and a patterning process of using it that show a particularly favorable mask dimension dependency and CDU in photolithography where a light source is a high-energy beam such as a KrF excimer laser beam, an electron beam, or an extreme ultraviolet ray.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a carbonyloxyimide compound having an iodized or brominated aromatic ring has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern having improved LWR or CDU.

Abstract: A composition for forming a silicon-containing resist underlayer film contains at least: one or more compounds shown by the following general formula (P-0); and a thermally crosslinkable polysiloxane (Sx), where R100 represents divalent organic group substituted with one or more fluorine atoms; R101 and R102 each independently represent a linear, branched, or cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms optionally substituted with a hetero-atom or optionally interposed by hetero-atom; R103 represents linear, branched, or cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms optionally substituted with a hetero-atom or optionally interposed by hetero-atom; R101 and R102, or R101 and R103, are optionally bonded to each other to form a ring with sulfur atom in the formula; and L104 represents a single bond or linear, branched, or cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms optionally substituted with a hetero-atom or optionally interposed by hetero-atom.

Abstract: A resist composition containing: (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having an acid-labile group and not containing a repeating unit having an aromatic substituent; (B) a photo-acid generator shown by a general formula (B-1); and (C) a solvent, where W1 represents a cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms and containing a heteroatom; W2 represents a cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms and not containing a heteroatom; Rf represents a divalent organic group shown by the following general formula; and M+ represents an onium cation. This provides a resist composition and a patterning process that uses the resist composition that show a particularly favorable mask dimension dependency (mask error factor: MEF), LWR, and critical dimension uniformity (CDU) particularly in photolithography where a high-energy beam such as an ArF excimer laser beam is used as a light source.

Abstract: A resist composition is provided comprising (A) a sulfurane or selenurane compound, (B) an organic solvent, and (C) a base polymer comprising repeat units having an acid labile group. By virtue of the acid diffusion inhibitory function of the compound, the resist composition forms a resist pattern having improved LWR and CDU when it is processed by lithography using high-energy radiation.

Abstract: A molecular resist composition comprising a sulfonium salt having a cation of specific structure and an organic solvent has a high sensitivity and forms a resist film with improved resolution and LWR, when processed by EB or EUV lithography.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an ammonium salt compound having an iodized aromatic ring and a tertiary ester structure offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium salt of thiophenecarboxylic acid offers a high sensitivity, minimal LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer and a 2,5,8,9-tetraaza-1-phosphabicyclo[3.3.3]undecane, biguanide or phosphazene salt of an iodized aromatic group-containing N-carbonysulfonamide. The salt is effective for sensitizing and suppressing acid diffusion and prevents any film thickness loss after development. The resist composition is improved in resolution, LWR and CDU when a pattern is formed therefrom by lithography.