Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt of specific structure having a polymerizable group is coated to form a resist film which is amenable to precise micropatterning because of improved LWR, CDU and resolution.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores a response processing program for causing a computer to execute processing including: receiving a question from a user input to a terminal; extracting, in a case where a plurality of pieces of answer candidate data that corresponds to the received question is retrieved, keywords or key phrases from the plurality of pieces of answer candidate data; classifying the extracted keywords or key phrases on the basis of words included in the keywords or key phrases; and outputting a classification result of the keywords or key phrases to the terminal in a state selectable by a user, together with a response text to the question.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a sulfonium compound of specific structure as PAG has excellent lithography performance factors such as minimal defects, high sensitivity, improved LWR and CDU, and is a quite effective resist material for precise micropatterning.

Abstract: A chemically amplified resist composition comprising a quencher containing an ammonium salt of an iodized or brominated aromatic ring-bearing carboxylic acid, and an acid generator exhibits a sensitizing effect and an acid diffusion suppressing effect and forms a pattern having improved resolution, LWR and CDU.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an ammonium salt consisting of an ammonium cation having an iodized aromatic ring bonded to the nitrogen atom via a divalent hydrocarbon group and a carboxylate, fluorine-free sulfonamide, sulfonamide 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 containing a sulfonium salt having an iodized benzene ring offers a high sensitivity, minimal LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

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

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base resin comprising recurring units having an acid labile group, and a metal salt of sulfonic acid exhibits a high sensitivity and high resolution, and forms a pattern of satisfactory profile with minimal LWR or improved CDU when processed by lithography.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores a management program for causing a computer to execute processing including: receiving a registration request for a question text; searching for another question text similar to the question text for which the registration request has been received by reference to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of registration information that includes a question text and an answer text to the question text; and displaying, in a receivable manner, an editing request for the registration information that corresponds to the another question text together with the another question text in a case where the another question text has been searched.

Abstract: A novel sulfonium compound has formula (A). A positive resist composition comprising a polymer and a quencher containing the sulfonium compound is improved in resolution and LER during pattern formation and has storage stability. In formula (A), R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently a C1-C20 monovalent hydrocarbon group, p is an integer of 0-5, q is an integer of 0-5, and r is an integer of 0-4.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores therein an answering program for causing a computer to execute processing including: receiving a first inquiry from a terminal; referring to a memory that stores a category, content of an inquiry that belongs to the category, and answer candidates with respect to the inquiry in association with each other and acquiring answer candidates with respect to the received first inquiry; and outputting the answer candidates or the category to which the answer candidates belong to the terminal according to a number of the acquired answer candidates.

Abstract: A resist composition containing: (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having an acid-labile group; (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 photoacid generator having formula (1a) is provided. A chemically amplified resist composition comprising the PAG forms a pattern of rectangular profile with a good balance of sensitivity and LWR when processed by photolithography using ArF excimer laser, EB or EUV.

Abstract: A resist composition contains a polymer-bound acid generator, specifically a polymer comprising recurring units derived from a sulfonium or iodonium salt having a polymerizable unsaturated bond and containing iodine in the linker between the polymerizable unsaturated bond and a fluorosulfonic acid. The resist composition offers a high sensitivity and 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 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 comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium salt of a carboxylic acid having an iodine or bromine-substituted hydrocarbyl group offers a high sensitivity, minimal LWR and improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprising a base polymer comprising recurring units (a) having the structure of an ammonium salt of fluorosulfonic acid having an iodized or brominated aromatic ring, and recurring unite (b1) having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units (b2) having an add labile group-substituted phenolic hydroxyl group exhibits a high sensitivity, high resolution, low edge roughness and dimensional uniformity, and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and development.

Abstract: A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer containing an iodized polymer, and an acid generator containing a sulfonium salt and/or iodonium salt of iodized benzene ring-containing fluorosulfonic acid. When processed by lithography, the resist composition exhibits a high sensitivity, low LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive tone or negative tone.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprising a base polymer comprising recurring units (a) having the structure of an ammonium salt of N-carbonylsulfonamide having an iodized aromatic ring, and recurring units (b1) having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units (b2) having an acid labile group-substituted phenolic hydroxyl group exhibits a high sensitivity, high resolution, low edge roughness and dimensional uniformity, and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and development.

Abstract: A molecular resist composition is provided comprising (A) a betaine type onium compound having a sulfonium cation moiety and a sulfonate anion moiety in a common molecule, the sulfonium cation moiety having a phenyl group substituted with an optionally heteroatom-containing monovalent hydrocarbon group, the phenyl group being attached to the sulfur atom, and (B) an organic solvent, the resist composition being free of a base resin. When processed by lithography using KrF, ArF excimer laser, EB or EUV, the resist composition is improved in dissolution contrast, EL, MEF, and LWR.