Abstract: One of the problems is to provide a solvent composition which has a little adverse effect on the global environment and has excellent stability when a compound having a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) group is in a solution state. In an embodiment, the problem is solved by providing a solvent composition for dissolving a compound having a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) group includes Z-1,2-dichloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1223xd(Z)) as a main component.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a production process of a 2-fluoroacrylic ester including: a bromination step of converting a 2-fluoropropionic ester to a 2-bromo-2-fluoropropionic ester by reaction of the 2-fluoropropionic ester with a nitrogen-bromine bond-containing brominating agent in the presence of a radical initiator; and a dehydrobromination step of reacting the 2-bromo-2-fluoropropionic ester with a base. It is not necessary in this process to adopt very-low-temperature conditions and to use a stoichiometric amount of expensive reagent. The target 2-fluoroacrylic ester can be thus produced at low cost.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a production process of a 2-fluoroacrylic ester including: a bromination step of converting a 2-fluoropropionic ester to a 2-bromo-2-fluoropropionic ester by reaction of the 2-fluoropropionic ester with a nitrogen-bromine bond-containing brominating agent in the presence of a radical initiator; and a dehydrobromination step of reacting the 2-bromo-2-fluoropropionic ester with a base. It is not necessary in this process to adopt very-low-temperature conditions and to use a stoichiometric amount of expensive reagent. The target 2-fluoroacrylic ester can be thus produced at low cost.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluorine-containing cyclic compound of formula (5): wherein R2-R4 and R9-R15 are independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C25 straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group, and may contain fluorine atom, oxygen atom, sulfur atom, or nitrogen atom. R10 and R11, R12 and R13, or R14 and R15 may be bonded together to form a ring. In such a case, it is a C1-C25 alkylene group that may contain a hetero atom such as oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen, “a” is 0 or 1, “b” is an integer of 0-2 and “c” is an integer of 0-2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, for example, a fluorine-containing cyclic compound represented by the following general formula (1). In the general formula (1), R1a is a C1-C25 cyclic alkyl group, cyclic alkenyl group or cyclic alkynyl group; each of R2 and R3 is independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C25 straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group; and each of R1a, R2 and R3 may contain fluorine atom, oxygen atom, sulfur atom, nitrogen atom or an atomic group containing a carbon-carbon double bond.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, for example, a fluorine-containing cyclic compound represented by the following general formula (1). In the general formula (1), R1a is a C1-C25 cyclic alkyl group, cyclic alkenyl group or cyclic alkynyl group; each of R2 and R3 is independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C25 straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group; and each of R1a, R2 and R3 may contain fluorine atom, oxygen atom, sulfur atom, nitrogen atom or an atomic group containing a carbon-carbon double bond.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units (2) obtained through polymerization of an ester compound of formula (1) is used to form a resist composition. R1 is F or C1-C6 fluoroalkyl, R2 is H or C1-C8 alkyl, R3 is O or C1-C6 alkylene, R4 and R5 each are H or C1-C10 alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R6 is H or an acid labile group. The resist composition, when processed by ArF lithography, has advantages including improved resolution, transparency, minimal line edge roughness, and etch resistance. The resist composition exhibits better performance when processed by ArF immersion lithography with liquid interposed between a projection lens and a wafer.

Abstract: A resist protective coating material is provided comprising an ?-trifluoromethylacrylic acid/norbornene copolymer having cyclic perfluoroalkyl groups as pendant. In a pattern-forming process, the material forms on a resist film a protective coating which is water-insoluble, dissolvable in alkaline developer and immiscible with the resist film, allowing for effective implementation of immersion lithography.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) wherein R1 is F or fluoroalkyl, R2 is alkylene or fluoroalkylene, and R3 is an acid labile group and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is used to formulate a resist composition, which is processed by the lithography involving ArF exposure and offers many advantages including resolution, minimal line edge roughness, etch resistance, and minimal surface roughness after etching. The composition performs well when processed by the ArF immersion lithography with liquid interposed between the projection lens and the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a top coat composition, which is characterized in that it is applied to a photoresist top surface by using a polymer containing at least one structure represented by the formula [1], [2] or [3]. It is possible to produce a top coat composition solution by dissolving this top coat composition in an organic solvent. These top coat composition and top coat composition solution can be used in immersion lithography.

Abstract: A fluorinated polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1a) to (1d) and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is provided. R1 is an acid labile group, R2 is a single bond or methylene, a1, a2, a3, and a4 are numbers from more than 0 to less than 1, and 0<a1+a2+a3+a4?1, b is 1 or 2, and c is 0 or 1.

Abstract: In an immersion lithography process, a pattern is formed by forming a photoresist layer on a wafer, forming a protective coating on the photoresist layer from an overlay material, exposing the layer structure to light in water, and developing. A water-insoluble, alkali-soluble material is used as the overlay material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, for example, a fluorine-containing cyclic compound represented by the following general formula (1). In the general formula (1), R1a is a C1-C25 cyclic alkyl group, cyclic alkenyl group or cyclic alkynyl group; each of R2 and R3 is independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C25 straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group; and each of R1a, R2 and R3 may contain fluorine atom, oxygen atom, sulfur atom, nitrogen atom or an atomic group containing a carbon-carbon double bond.

Abstract: Ester compounds having formula (1) wherein R1 is fluorine or C1-C10 fluoroalkyl, R2 is C1-C10 alkylene or fluoroalkylene, and R3 is an acid labile group are novel. They can be polymerized into polymers which are used to formulate resist compositions, which are processed by the lithography involving ArF exposure, offering many advantages including improved resolution and transparency, minimal line edge roughness, improved etch resistance, and especially minimal surface roughness after etching.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units (2) obtained through polymerization of an ester compound of formula (1) is used to form a resist composition. R1 is F or C1-C6 fluoroalkyl, R2 is H or C1-C8 alkyl, R3 is O or C1-C6 alkylene, R4 and R5 each are H or C1-C10 alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R6 is H or an acid labile group. The resist composition, when processed by ArF lithography, has advantages including improved resolution, transparency, minimal line edge roughness, and etch resistance. The resist composition exhibits better performance when processed by ArF immersion lithography with liquid interposed between a projection lens and a wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a top coat film used in a lithography. This process includes the steps of (a) providing a polymer that dissolves in an alkali developing solution, the polymer having in the molecule at least one group that is optionally protected and that is selected from the group consisting of a fluorocarbinol group, a sulfonic group, a fluoroalkylsulfonic group, and a carboxylic group; (b) dissolving the polymer in an organic solvent containing 40 wt % or greater of an alkane, thereby preparing a coating composition; and (c) applying the coating composition to a photoresist film, thereby forming the top coat film on the photoresist film.

Abstract: A resist protective coating material is provided comprising an ?-trifluoromethylacrylic acid/norbornene copolymer having cyclic perfluoroalkyl groups as pendant. In a pattern-forming process, the material forms on a resist film a protective coating which is water-insoluble, dissolvable in alkaline developer and immiscible with the resist film, allowing for effective implementation of immersion lithography.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a polymer containing vinyl sulfonate units having fluorinated hydrophilic groups as a base resin has excellent transparency, substrate adhesion and developer penetrability as well as plasma etching resistance, and is suited for lithographic microprocessing.

Abstract: Ester compounds having formula (1) wherein R1 is fluorine or C1-C10 fluoroalkyl, R2 is C1-C10 alkylene or fluoroalkylene, and R3 is an acid labile group are novel. They can be polymerized into polymers which are used to formulate resist compositions, which are processed by the lithography involving ArF exposure, offering many advantages including improved resolution and transparency, minimal line edge roughness, improved etch resistance, and especially minimal surface roughness after etching.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) wherein R1 is F or fluoroalkyl, R2 is alkylene or fluoroalkylene, and R3 is an acid labile group and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is used to formulate a resist composition, which is processed by the lithography involving ArF exposure and offers many advantages including resolution, minimal line edge roughness, etch resistance, and minimal surface roughness after etching. The composition performs well when processed by the ArF immersion lithography with liquid interposed between the projection lens and the wafer.