Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1 and R2 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, taken together, may form a ring; R3 is H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl which may have halogen substituents, not all R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen; and k=0 or 1, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: The invention provides a high-resolution resist material comprising an acid generator that has high sensitivity and high resolution with respect to high-energy rays of 300 nm or less, has small line-edge roughness, and is superior in heat stability and in shelf stability, and provides a pattern forming method that uses this resist material. The invention further provides a chemically amplified positive resist material comprising a base resin, an acid generator and a solvent in which the acid generator generates an alkylimidic acid containing a fluorine group, and provides a pattern forming method comprising a step of applying the resist material to the substrate, a step of performing exposure to a high-energy ray of a wavelength of 300 nm or less through a photomask following heat treatment, and a step of performing development by a developing solution following heat treatment.

Abstract: A resist composition contains as a base resin a polymer represented by the following formula and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000. R1 is H, methyl or CO2R2, R2 is alkyl, R3 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R2, at least one of R4 to R7 is a carboxyl or hydroxyl-containing monovalent hydrocarbon group, and the reminders are independently H or alkyl, at least one of R8 to R11 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms containing a —CO2— partial structure, and the reminders are independently H or alkyl, R12 is a polycyclic hydrocarbon group or an alkyl group containing such a polycyclic hydrocarbon group, R13 is an acid labile group, Z is a divalent group of atoms to construct a 5- or 6-membered ring which contains a carboxylate, carbonate or acid anhydride therein, k is 0 or 1, x is a number from more than 0 to 1, “a” to “d” are from 0 to less than 1, x+a+b+c+d=1.

Abstract: A high resolution resist material comprising an acid generator is provided so that high sensitivity and high resolution for high energy rays of 300 nm or less, small line-edge roughness, and excellence in heat stability and storage stability are obtained. Moreover, a pattern formation method using this resist material are provided. Specifically, a novel compound of the following general formula (1); and a positive resist material comprising this compound preferably as a photo acid generator, and a base resin; are provided. This positive resist material may contain a basic compound or a dissolution inhibitor. Further, the present invention provides a pattern formation method comprising the steps of applying this positive resist material on a substrate, then heat-treating the material, exposing the treated material to a high energy ray having a wavelength of 300 nm or less via a photo mask, optionally heat-treating the exposed material, and developing the material using a developer.

Abstract: The invention provides a high-resolution resist material comprising an acid generator that has high sensitivity and high resolution with respect to high-energy rays of 300 nm or less, has small line-edge roughness, and is superior in heat stability and in shelf stability, and provides a pattern forming method that uses this resist material. The invention further provides a chemically amplified positive resist material comprising a base resin, an acid generator and a solvent in which the acid generator generates an alkylimidic acid containing a fluorine group, and provides a pattern forming method comprising a step of applying the resist material to the substrate, a step of performing exposure to a high-energy ray of a wavelength of 300 nm or less through a photomask following heat treatment, and a step of performing development by a developing solution following heat treatment.

Abstract: A hydrogenated product of a ring-opening metathesis polymer comprising structural units as shown below has improved heat resistance, pyrolysis resistance and light transmission and is suited as a photoresist for semiconductor microfabrication using UV or deep-UV. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, and R3 and R4, taken together, may form a ring; R5 and R6 are H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl groups or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl groups which may have halogen substituents; and k=0 or 1, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: In a resist composition comprising a base resin which is a high molecular weight structure free from an aromatic substituent group, a photoacid generator, and a solvent, the photoacid generator is a one capable of generating a perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid. The resist composition has many advantages including excellent resolution, minimized size difference between isolated and densely packed patterns, and minimized line edge roughness.

Abstract: A resist patterning process is provided comprising the steps of (a) applying a resist composition onto a substrate to form a resist film, (b) prebaking the resist film, (c) exposing the prebaked resist film to a pattern of radiation, (d) post-exposure baking the exposed resist film, (e) developing the resist film to form a resist pattern, and (f) post baking the resist pattern for causing thermal flow. The resist composition contains a polymer comprising structural units of formula [I] in a backbone and having acid labile groups on side chains as a base resin and a photoacid generator.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1) and (2) wherein W is a divalent C2-15 group which forms a 5- or 6-membered cyclic ether, cyclic ketone, lactone, cyclic carbonate, cyclic acid anhydride or cyclic imide, k is 0 or 1, and Y is —O— or —(NR1)— wherein R1 is H or C1-15 alkyl and units which are decomposable under acidic conditions to generate carboxylic acid, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution and etching resistance and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, and R3 and R4, taken together, may form a ring; R5 and R6 are H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl groups or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl groups which may have halogen substituents; and k=0 or 1, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a hydrogenated product of ring-opening metathesis polymer and a poly(meth)acrylic acid derivative as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etch resistance, and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H or alkyl, or R1 and R2, and R3 and R4 taken together may form a ring with each pair being alkylene, and k is 0 or 1 and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: A resist composition comprising a dendritic or hyperbranched polymer of a phenol derivative having a weight average molecular weight of 500-10,000,000 has an excellent resolution, reduced line edge roughness, and dry etching resistance and is useful as a chemical amplification type resist composition which may be either positive or negative working.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, and R3 and R4, taken together, may form a ring; R5 and R6 are H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl groups or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl groups which may have halogen substituents; and k=0 or 1, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: Amine compounds having a cyano group are useful in resist compositions for preventing a resist film from thinning and also for enhancing the resolution and focus margin of resist.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1-1) or (1-2) wherein R1 and R2 are H or C1-15 alkyl, R1 and R2, taken together, may form a ring; R3 is H, C1-15 alkyl, acyl or alkylsulfonyl or C2-15 alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxyalkyl which may have halogen substituents, not all R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen; and k=0 or 1, and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is novel. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, etching resistance, and minimized swell and lends itself to micropatterning with electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: Novel amine compounds having a nitrogen-containing cyclic structure and a hydrating group such as a hydroxy, ether, ester, carbonyl, carbonate group or lactone ring are useful for use in resist compositions for preventing a resist film from thinning and also for enhancing the resolution and focus margin of resist.

Abstract: A dendritic or hyperbranched polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 500-10,000,000 is prepared by polymerizing a hydroxystyrene derivative, adding a branching monomer midway in the polymerization step to introduce branch chains, and repeating the polymerizing and branching steps. The polymer is advantageously used as the base resin of resist material because the size of the polymer can be reduced while maintaining strength.

Abstract: A hydrogenated product of a ring-opening metathesis polymer comprising structural units as shown below has improved heat resistance, pyrolysis resistance and light transmission and is suited as a photoresist for semiconductor microfabrication using UV or deep-UV. A resist composition comprising the polymer as a base resin is sensitive to high-energy radiation and has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance.