Abstract: A high-performance anti-reflective coating which highly absorbs a given light, e.g., deep ultraviolet rays, tenaciously adheres to substrates upon coating formation, is satisfactory in covering, and eliminates the influence of standing waves in the production of integrated circuits; novel light-absorbing polymers for forming the anti-reflective coating; and a process for producing the polymers. One of the polymers is produced by esterifying a copolymer comprising carboxylic anhydride groups and/or dicarboxylic acid groups such as maleic acid as basic recurring units with a hydroxylated aromatic chromophore. The unreacted carboxylic acid groups or acid anhydride groups remaining in the esterified light-absorbing polymer may be amidated and/or imidized with an aminated aromatic compound.