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 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 composition comprising (A) a polymer comprising recurring units (a1) having a carboxyl group protected with an acid labile group and recurring units (a2) having a cyclic ester, cyclic carbonate or cyclic sulfonate structure, (B) a thermal acid generator, and (C) an organic solvent is suited to form a protective film between a substrate and a resist film. Even when a metal-containing resist film is used, the protective film is effective for preventing the substrate from metal contamination.

Abstract: A resist composition containing: (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having an acid-labile group and further containing at least one 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 with a heteroatom; W2 represents a cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms without 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 of using it that show a particularly favorable mask dimension dependency and CDU in photolithography where a light source is a high-energy beam such as a KrF excimer laser beam, an electron beam, or an extreme ultraviolet ray.

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 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 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 monomer and polymer having a substituent group capable of polarity switch under the action of acid are provided. A resist composition comprising the polymer forms at a high resolution a negative pattern insoluble in alkaline developer and having high etch resistance.

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 polymer comprising units having a highly fused homoadamantane skeleton at side chain end bonded to the polymer backbone via a linking group has an appropriate solvent solubility and is capable of suppressing acid diffusion. A resist composition comprising the polymer and a specific photoacid generator exhibits a good DOF margin, CD uniformity, and a minimal CD change during PPD, and is quite effective in precise micropatterning.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units derived from a monomer (A) adapted to be decomposed to generate an acid upon light exposure, recurring units derived from a monomer (B) having an acid labile group, and recurring units derived from a monomer (C) having a phenolic hydroxyl group, an amount of residual monomer (A) in the polymer being up to 1.0 wt %, is prepared by feeding a monomer solution containing monomers (A), (B), and (C) in a solvent (S) to a reactor and effecting polymerization reaction in the reactor. The monomer solution has a monomer concentration of at least 35 wt %. The solvent (S) contains a compound having formula (S-1) or (S-2).

Abstract: A composition comprising (A) a polymer comprising recurring units (a1) having a carboxyl group protected with an acid labile group and recurring units (a2) having a cyclic ester, cyclic carbonate or cyclic sulfonate structure, (B) a thermal acid generator, and (C) an organic solvent is suited to form a protective film between a substrate and a resist film. Even when a metal-containing resist film is used, the protective film is effective for preventing the substrate from metal contamination.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units having an acid generator bound to the backbone, and recurring units having an optionally acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units having an optionally acid labile group-substituted hydroxyl group is obtained by polymerizing corresponding monomers under such illumination that the quantity of light of wavelength up to 400 nm is up to 0.05 mW/cm2. The polymer avoids photo-decomposition of the acid generator during polymerization and concomitant deprotection reaction of the acid labile group when used in positive resist compositions. A pattern with high dissolution contrast and rectangularity is formed after development.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units containing a specific lactone ring and having an alkyl group on ?-butyrolactone skeleton of fused ring lactone and an alkyl ester substituent group intervening between the lactone structure and the polymer backbone is provided. A resist composition comprising the polymer as base resin is improved in such properties as DOF margin and MEF and quite effective for precise micropatterning.

Abstract: A monomer and polymer having a substituent group capable of polarity switch under the action of acid are provided. A resist composition comprising the polymer forms at a high resolution a negative pattern insoluble in alkaline developer and having high etch resistance.

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 polymer comprising units having a highly fused homoadamantane skeleton at side chain end bonded to the polymer backbone via a linking group has an appropriate solvent solubility and is capable of suppressing acid diffusion. A resist composition comprising the polymer and a specific photoacid generator exhibits a good DOF margin, CD uniformity, and a minimal CD change during PPD, and is quite effective in precise micropatterning.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units having an acid generator bound to the backbone, and recurring units having an optionally acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units having an optionally acid labile group-substituted hydroxyl group is obtained by polymerizing corresponding monomers in a solution of a non-polymerizable compound containing a nitrogen atom to which an acid labile group is bound. This prevents deprotection reaction of the acid labile group in the case of positive resist-forming polymer or crosslinking reaction in the case of negative resist-forming polymer.

Abstract: A monomer having a substituent group capable of polarity switch under the action of acid is provided. A useful polymer is obtained by polymerizing the monomer. A resist composition comprising the polymer has improved development properties and is processed to form a negative pattern having high resolution and etch resistance which is insoluble in alkaline developer.

Abstract: A non-chemically-amplified positive resist composition comprising a polymer comprising both recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt capable of generating a fluorinated acid and recurring units containing an amino group as a base resin exhibits a high resolution and a low edge roughness and forms a pattern of good profile after exposure and organic solvent development.