Abstract: A process is provided for effectively removing by-products such as oligomers contained within a crude resin for an electronic material, thus producing a resin for an electronic material. In this process, a crude resin for an electronic material containing (a1) structural units derived from a (meth)acrylate ester with a hydrophilic site is washed using (b1) an organic solvent which is capable of dissolving said crude resin for an electronic material and which separates into two layers when combined with water, and (b2) water.

Abstract: An optical semiconductor device containing a photodiode, includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductive type; and a channel layer of a second conductive type formed from a surface portion of the first semiconductor layer in a light receiving region. The channel layer and the first semiconductor layer in the light receiving region form a p-n junction region.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer compound capable of forming a positive resist composition that can form a high-resolution pattern with a reduced level of LER, an acid generator formed from such a polymer compound, a positive resist composition that includes such a polymer compound, and a method for forming a resist pattern that uses such a positive resist composition.

Abstract: A process for refining a crude resin for a resist which is capable of effectively removing by-products such as polymers and oligomers contained within the crude resin. The refining process for the crude resin of resist resin (A) used in a photoresist composition includes at least the resist resin (A) and an acid generator (B) dissolved in a first organic solvent (C1), such that if the concentration of the component (A) in the photoresist composition is labeled X, and the crude resin concentration of the component (A) in a crude resin solution including the crude resin of the component (A) dissolved in a second organic solvent (C2) is labeled Y, then (i) the crude resin solution is prepared so that Y is smaller than X, and (ii) the crude resin solution is subsequently filtered.

Abstract: A resist composition which is stable relative to solvents used in immersion lithography processes and displays excellent sensitivity and resist pattern profile, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a resist composition are provided. The resist composition is in accordance with predetermined parameters, or is a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A) which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and displays increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B), and an organic solvent (C), wherein the component (A) contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, but contains no structural units (a0), including structural units (a0-1) containing an anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid and structural units (a0-2) containing a phenolic hydroxyl group.

Abstract: A positive type resin composition comprising (A) a resin component comprising within the principal chain a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate ester and incorporating an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group containing a polycyclic group on an ester side chain section, for which the solubility in alkali increases under the action of acid, (B) an acid generator component which generates acid on exposure, and (C) an organic solvent, wherein the component (A) comprises both a structural unit derived from a methacrylate ester and a structural unit derived from an acrylate ester. According to such a resist composition, a resist pattern can be formed which displays little surface roughness and line edge roughness on etching, and also offers excellent resolution and a wide depth of focus range.

Abstract: A resist composition which is stable relative to solvents used in immersion lithography processes and displays excellent sensitivity and resist pattern profile, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a resist composition are provided. The resist composition is in accordance with predetermined parameters, or is a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A) which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and displays increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B), and an organic solvent (C), wherein the component (A) contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, but contains no structural units (a0), including structural units (a0-1) containing an anhydride of a dicarboxylic acid and structural units (a0-2) containing a phenolic hydroxyl group.

Abstract: A positive resist composition includes a resin component (A) and an acid generator component (B), wherein the component (A) is a copolymer that includes a structural unit (a1) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester that contains a monocyclic or polycyclic group-containing acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, a structural unit (a2) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester that contains a lactone ring, a structural unit (a3) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester that contains a polar group-containing polycyclic group, and a structural unit (a4).

Abstract: A positive resist composition which includes a resin component (A) that exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, and an organic solvent (C). The component (A) includes (i) a structural unit (a1), which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and is derived from a (meth)acrylate ester, (ii) a structural unit (a2), which contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group that is less readily dissociated than the acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group contained in the structural unit (a1), and is derived from a (meth)acrylate ester, and (iii) a structural unit (a3), which contains a lactone functional group and is derived from a (meth)acrylate ester.

Abstract: A positive resist composition that includes a base resin component (A) and an acid generator component (B), wherein the component (A) is a copolymer that includes structural units (a-1), which are derived from an (?-lower alkyl) acrylate ester that contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, and also contains an aliphatic cyclic group, structural units (a-2), which are derived from an (?-lower alkyl) acrylate ester that contains a ?-butyrolactone residue, and structural units (a-3), which are derived from an (?-lower alkyl) acrylate ester that contains a hydroxyl group-containing aliphatic polycyclic hydrocarbon group, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the copolymer is within a range from 100 to 170° C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chemical-amplification negative-working photoresist composition used for photolithographic patterning in the manufacture of semiconductor devices suitable for patterning light-exposure to ArF excimer laser beams and capable of giving a high-resolution patterned resist layer free from swelling and having an orthogonal cross sectional profile by alkali-development. The characteristic ingredient of the composition is the resinous compound which has two types of functional groups, e.g., hydroxyalkyl groups and carboxyl or carboxylate ester groups, capable of reacting each with the other to form intramolecular and/or intermolecular ester linkages in the presence of an acid released from the radiation-sensitive acid generating agent to cause insolubilization of the resinous ingredient in an aqueous alkaline developer solution.

Abstract: A resist composition is disclosed which is capable of suppressing the surface roughness that occurs within a resist pattern, either following etching or following developing, or preferably following both processes. A resist pattern is formed using a positive resist composition that includes: a resin component (A), which contains at least one structural unit (a1) containing a lactone represented by one of the general formulas (1) through (4) shown below: (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and m is either 0 or 1), and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid; an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure; and an organic solvent (C).

Abstract: A positive resist composition that exhibits excellent resolution and depth of focus, a resin for resists which is used in the positive resist composition, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses the positive resist composition. The resin for resists includes structural units (a) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester as a principal component, wherein these structural units (a) include structural units (a1) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, and lactone-containing monocyclic groups, and the structural units (a1) include structural units represented by the general formula (a1-1) shown below [wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, and R11 represents an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group that contains a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group and contains no polycyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon groups].

Abstract: A resist composition is disclosed that enables formation of a favorable resist pattern using a shrink process in which, following formation of the resist pattern, a treatment such as heating is used to narrow the resist pattern, and also disclosed are a laminate and a method for forming a resist pattern that use such a resist composition. This resist composition includes a resin component (A) that displays changed alkali solubility under the action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure. The component (A) contains structural units derived from a (meth)acrylate ester, and exhibits a glass transition temperature that falls within a range from 120 to 170° C.

Abstract: There are provided a method of forming a resist pattern that enables the resist pattern to be formed with good control of the pattern size, as well as a positive resist composition used in the method, and a layered product formed using the positive resist composition. In the above method a positive resist composition comprising a resin component (A), which contains a structural unit (a1) derived from a (meth)acrylate ester represented by a general formula (I) shown below, and displays increased alkali solubility under action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure is applied to a substrate, a prebake is conducted, the resist composition is selectively exposed, post exposure baking (PEB) is conducted, alkali developing is then used to form a resist pattern, and the pattern size of the thus produced resist pattern is then narrowed by heat treatment.

Abstract: There is provided a positive type resin composition comprising (A) a resin component comprising within the principal chain a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate ester and incorporating an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group containing a polycyclic group on an ester side chain section, for which the solubility in alkali increases under the action of acid, (B) an acid generator component which generates acid on exposure, and (C) an organic solvent, wherein the component (A) comprises both a structural unit derived from a methacrylate ester and a structural unit derived from an acrylate ester. According to such a resist composition, a resist pattern can be formed which displays little surface roughness and line edge roughness on etching, and also offers excellent resolution and a wide depth of focus range.

Abstract: There is provided technology that enables the suppression of the surface roughness that occurs within a resist pattern, either following etching or following developing, or preferably following both processes. According to this technology, a resist pattern is formed using a positive resist composition including a resin component (A), which contains a structural unit (a1) containing a lactone, as represented by a general formula shown below, and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, (wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group), an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, and an organic solvent (C).

Abstract: A process is provided for effectively removing by-products such as oligomers contained within a crude resin for an electronic material, thus producing a resin for an electronic material. In this process, a crude resin for an electronic material containing (a1) structural units derived from a (meth)acrylate ester with a hydrophilic site is washed using (b1) an organic solvent which is capable of dissolving said crude resin for an electronic material and which separates into two layers when combined with water, and (b2) water.

Abstract: There are provided a resist composition that produces a resist pattern of good shape, and a method of forming a resist pattern that uses such a resist composition. The resist composition comprises a resin component (A) that undergoes a change in alkali solubility under the action of acid, an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, and an organic solvent (C), wherein the component (B) comprises a compound represented by a general formula (I) shown below [wherein, R1 to R3 each represent, independently, a methyl group or an ethyl group; and X? represents an anion].

Abstract: A process for refining a crude resin for a resist is provided, which is capable of effectively removing by-products such as polymers and oligomers contained within the crude resin. The process provides a refining process for the crude resin of a resist resin (A) used in a photoresist composition comprising at least the resist resin (A) and an acide generator (B) dissolved in a first organic solvent (C1), wherein if the concentration of the component (A) in the photoresist composition is labeled X, and the crude resin concentration of the component (A) in a crude resin solution comprising the crude resin of the component (A) dissolved in a second organic solvent (C2) is labeled Y, then (i) the crude resin solution is prepared so that Y is smaller than X, and (ii) the crude resin solution is subsequently filtered.