Abstract: There is disclosed A resist underlayer film composition, wherein the composition contains a polymer obtained by condensation of, at least, one or more compounds represented by the following general formulae (1-1) and/or (1-2), one or more kinds of a compound represented by the following general formula (2), and one or more kinds of a compound, represented by the following general formula (3), and/or an equivalent body thereof. There can be provided an underlayer film composition, especially for a trilayer resist process, that can form an underlayer film having reduced reflectance, (namely, an underlayer film having optimum n-value and k-value as an antireflective film), excellent filling-up properties, high pattern-antibending properties, and not causing line fall or wiggling after etching especially in a high aspect line that is thinner than 60 nm, and a patterning process using the same.

Abstract: A chemically amplified resist composition comprising a base polymer, an acid generator, and an amine quencher in the form of a ?-alanine, ?-aminobutyric acid or 5-aminovaleric acid derivative having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group has a high contrast of alkaline dissolution rate before and after exposure and forms a pattern of good profile at a high resolution, minimal roughness and wide focus margin.

Abstract: There is disclosed a resist underlayer film composition, wherein the composition contains a polymer obtained by condensation of, at least, one or more compounds represented by the following general formula (1-1) and/or general formula (1-2), and one or more kinds of compounds and/or equivalent bodies thereof represented by the following general formula (2). There can be provided an underlayer film composition, especially for a trilayer resist process, that can form an underlayer film having reduced reflectance, (namely, an underlayer film having optimum n-value and k-value), excellent filling-up properties, high pattern-antibending properties, and not causing line fall or wiggling after etching especially in a high aspect line that is thinner than 60 nm, and a patterning process using the same.

Abstract: There is disclosed a resist underlayer film composition, wherein the composition contains a polymer obtained by condensation of, at least, one or more compounds represented by the following general formula (1-1) and/or (1-2), and one or more kinds of compounds and/or equivalent bodies thereof represented by the following general formula (2). There can be provided an underlayer film composition, especially for a trilayer resist process, that can form an underlayer film having reduced reflectance, namely, an underlayer film having optimum n-value and k-value, excellent filling-up properties, high pattern-antibending properties, and not causing line fall or wiggling after etching especially in a high aspect line that is thinner than 60 nm, and a patterning process using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: a resist composition such as a chemically amplified resist composition for providing an excellent pattern profile even at a substrate-side boundary face of resist, in addition to a higher resolution in photolithography for micro-fabrication, and particularly in photolithography adopting, as an exposure source, KrF laser, ArF laser, F2 laser, ultra-short ultraviolet light, electron beam, X-rays, or the like; and a patterning process utilizing the resist composition. The present invention provides a chemically amplified resist composition comprising one or more kinds of amine compounds or amine oxide compounds (except for those having a nitrogen atom of amine or amine oxide included in a ring structure of an aromatic ring) at least having a carboxyl group and having no hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a nitrogen atom as a basic center.

Abstract: Fluoroalcohol compounds of formula (1) are useful in producing polymers which are used as the base resin to formulate radiation-sensitive resist compositions having transparency to radiation having a wavelength of up to 500 nm and improved development characteristics. R1 is hydrogen or a monovalent C1-C20 hydrocarbon group in which any constituent —CH2— moiety may be replaced by —O— or —C(?O)—, Aa is a (k1+1)-valent C1-C20 hydrocarbon or fluorinated hydrocarbon group, and k1 is 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: A naphthalene derivative having formula (1) is provided wherein An and Art denote a benzene or naphthalene ring, and n is such a natural number as to provide a weight average molecular weight of up to 100,000. A material comprising the naphthalene derivative or a polymer comprising the naphthalene derivative is spin coated to form a resist bottom layer having improved properties. A pattern forming process in which a resist bottom layer formed by spin coating is combined with an inorganic hard mask formed by CVD is available.

Abstract: A polymer suitable as a base resin for a positive resist composition, in particular a chemically amplified positive resist composition, having a higher resolution, a larger exposure allowance, a smaller sparse-dense size difference, a better process applicability, a better pattern configuration after exposure, and in addition, a further excellent etching resistance, than a conventional positive resist. A positive resist composition using the same, a patterning process, and a novel polymerizable compound to obtain the polymer. A polymer has a hydrogen atom of at least a carboxyl group is substituted by an acid labile group represented by the following general formula (2), a positive resist composition using the same, a patterning process, and a novel polymerizable compound to obtain a polymer like this.

Abstract: An aralkylcarbamate of imidazole base is effective as the quencher. In a chemically amplified positive resist composition comprising the carbamate, deprotection reaction of carbamate takes place by reacting with the acid generated upon exposure to high-energy radiation, whereby the composition changes its basicity before and after exposure, resulting in a pattern profile with advantages including high resolution, rectangular shape, and minimized dark-bright difference.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition for a resist underlayer film, the composition for a resist underlayer film to form a resist underlayer film of a multilayer resist film used in lithography, wherein the composition comprises at least (A) a fullerene derivative that is a reaction product of a substance having a fullerene skeleton with a 1,3-diene compound derivative having an electron-withdrawing group and (B) an organic solvent. There can be a composition for a resist underlayer film for a multilayer resist film used in lithography, the composition giving a resist underlayer film having excellent high dry etching resistance, capable of suppressing wiggling during substrate etching with high effectiveness, and capable of avoiding a poisoning problem in upperlayer patterning that uses a chemical amplification resist; a process for forming a resist underlayer film; a patterning process; and a fullerene derivative.

Abstract: Photoacid generators generate sulfonic acids of formula (1a) upon exposure to high-energy radiation. ROC(?O)R1—COOCH2CF2SO3?H+??(1a) RO is OH or C1-C20 organoxy, R1 is a divalent C1-C20 aliphatic group or forms a cyclic structure with RO. The photoacid generators are compatible with resins and can control acid diffusion and are thus suited for use in chemically amplified resist compositions.

Abstract: Photoacid generators generate sulfonic acids of formula (1a) or (1b) upon exposure to high-energy radiation. R1—COOCH2CF2SO3?H+??(1a) R1—O—COOCH2CF2SO3?H+??(1b) R1 is a monovalent C20-C50 hydrocarbon group of steroid structure which may contain a heteroatom. The bulky steroid structure ensures adequate control of acid diffusion. The photoacid generators are compatible with resins and suited for use in chemically amplified resist compositions.

Abstract: A pattern is formed by applying a first positive resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units which become alkali soluble under the action of acid onto a substrate to form a first resist coating, heat treating, exposing, heat treating, developing to form a first resist pattern, applying a pattern surface coating composition comprising a hydroxyl-containing crosslinkable polymer onto the first resist pattern and crosslinking, thereby covering the first resist pattern with a crosslinked polymer film, applying a second positive resist composition thereon, heat treating, exposing, heat treating, and developing to form a second resist pattern.

Abstract: A naphthalene derivative having formula (1) is provided wherein cyclic structures Ar1 and Ar2 denote a benzene or naphthalene ring, X is a single bond or C1-C10 alkylene, m is 0 or 1, and n is such a natural number as to provide a molecular weight of up to 100,000. A material comprising the naphthalene derivative or a polymer comprising the naphthalene derivative is spin coated to form a resist bottom layer having improved properties. A pattern forming process in which a resist bottom layer formed by spin coating is combined with an inorganic hard mask formed by CVD is available.

Abstract: The invention provides a resist top coat composition wherein the composition contains polymer (P1-1) with a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000, having at least repeating units represented by the following general formulae (1a), (1b-1), and (1c). There can be a resist top coat composition having excellent water repellent and water sliding properties with fewer development defects and with a good resist pattern profile after development, and a patterning process using this composition.

Abstract: Carboxyl-containing lactone compounds having formula (1) are novel wherein R1 is H, F, methyl or trifluoromethyl, R2 and R3 are H or monovalent hydrocarbon groups, or R2 and R3 may together form an aliphatic ring, W is CH2, O or S, k1 is an integer of 0 to 4, and k2 is 0 or 1. They are useful as monomers to produce polymers which are transparent to radiation?500 nm. Radiation-sensitive resist compositions comprising the polymers as base resin exhibit excellent properties including resolution, LER, pattern density dependency and exposure margin.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprises a polymer comprising recurring units having a sulfonium salt incorporated therein as a base resin which becomes soluble in alkaline developer under the action of acid. The polymer generates a strong sulfonic acid upon exposure to high-energy radiation so as to facilitate effective scission of acid labile groups in the resist composition.

Abstract: A hydroxyl-containing monomer of formula (1) is provided wherein R1 is H, F, methyl or trifluoromethyl, R2 and R3 are monovalent C1-C15 hydrocarbon groups, or R2 and R3 may form an aliphatic ring. The monomers are useful for the synthesis of polymers which have high transparency to radiation of up to 500 nm and the effect of controlling acid diffusion so that the polymers may be used as a base resin to formulate radiation-sensitive resist compositions having a high resolution.

Abstract: Sulfonate salts have the formula: HOCH2CH2CF2CF2SO3?M+ wherein M+ is a Li, Na, K, ammonium or tetramethylammonium ion. Onium salts, oxime sulfonates and sulfonyloxyimides derived from these salts are effective photoacid generators in chemically amplified resist compositions.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprises (A) a resin component which becomes soluble in an alkaline developer under the action of an acid and (B) an acid generator. The resin (A) is a polymer comprising specific recurring units, represented by formula (1). The acid generator (B) is a specific sulfonium salt compound. When processed by lithography, the composition is improved in resolution and forms a pattern with a satisfactory mask fidelity and a minimal LER. Herein R1 is H or methyl, m is 1 or 2, and n is 1 or 2.