Abstract: A phenol novolak resin has a peak intensity ratio of ortho-ortho bond (o-o)/ortho-para bond (o-p)/para-para bond (p-p) in a resin structure not substantially varying in each molecular weight fraction and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3000 to 20000 in terms of polystyrene, which peak intensity ratio is detected by 13C-NMR analysis. The phenol novolak resin can form both dense pattern and isolation pattern with good shapes in the formation of a fine resist pattern of not more than 0.35 ?m and has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and focal depth range properties, and has a resin composition being uniform in each molecular weight fraction. A process for producing the phenol novolak resin, and a positive photoresist composition using the resin are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rinsing solution for lithography with which finely processed parts of a resist pattern can be well rinsed without corroding a metallic film made of Al, Al—Si, Al—Si—Cu, etc. and which is economically advantageous and has a high safety; and a method for processing a substrate with the use of the same. The rinsing solution contains at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether and ethyl lactate.

Abstract: A phenol novolak resin has a peak intensity ratio of ortho-ortho bond (o-o)/ortho-para bond (o-p)/para-para bond (p-p) in a resin structure not substantially varying in each molecular weight fraction and has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 3000 to 20000 in terms of polystyrene, which peak intensity ratio is detected by 13C-NMR analysis. The phenol novolak resin can form both dense pattern and isolation pattern with good shapes in the formation of a fine resist pattern of not more than 0.35 &mgr;m and has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and focal depth range properties, and has a resin composition being uniform in each molecular weight fraction. A process for producing the phenol novolak resin, and a positive photoresist composition using the resin are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a photosensitizer including, for example, a quinonediazide ester of bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane, and (C) a compound having a gram absorption coefficient of 5 to 60 with respect to light with a wavelength of 365 nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, and the ingredient (B) is a quinonediazide ester of, for example, 2,6-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzyl]-4-methylphenol, where the average degree of esterification of 20% to 80%.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, in which part of phenolic hydroxyl groups is protected by an acid-decomposable group; (B) a quinonediazide ester; and (C) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation of light with a wavelength of 365 nm. This positive photoresist composition can form a fine pattern of about 0.35 &mgr;m in the photolithographic process using i-ray (365 nm), is excellent in focal depth range properties in such an ultrafine region, and has a high sensitivity.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a photosensitizer containing a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane and (C) e.g., 2,6-bis(2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-methylphenol; and a process including the steps of coating the composition onto a 8 to 12-inch substrate, drying, exposing and developing the same. The composition which can form a pattern having a good shape whose dimensional changes are minimized in a wide range over surface of the substrate, particularly in processes using a large-diameter substrate, and the process for forming a resist pattern using the composition are provided.

Abstract: A novolak resin precursor is composed of bonded phenolic moieties, one of the hydrogen atoms in the o- or p-positions relative to the hydroxy group of each phenolic moiety is substituted with an alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and the other two hydrogen atoms are bonded through methylene bonds. The content of ortho-ortho bonding is 30 to 70% relative to the number of total methylene bonds and the weight average molecular weight of the precursor is 300 to 10,000. A novolak resin is obtained from this precursor, and a positive photoresist composition comprises this novolak resin. The invention provides a positive photoresist composition that comprises less binuclear compounds, suppresses scum formation, is excellent in terms of definition and coating performance and provides a resist pattern having satisfactory heat resistance.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane and/or 2,4-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-5-methylbenzyl]-6-cyclohexylphenol, and (C) 4,4′-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone. The composition exhibits high sensitivity and definition and improved focal depth range properties and underexposure margin.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a photosensitizer containing a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane and (C) e.g., 2,6-bis(2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-methylphenol; and a process including the steps of coating the composition onto a 8 to 12-inch substrate, drying, exposing and developing the same. The composition which can form a pattern having a good shape whose dimensional changes are minimized in a wide range over surface of the substrate, particularly in processes using a large-diameter substrate, and the process for forming a resist pattern using the composition are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a photosensitizer containing a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane and (C) e.g., 2,6-bis(2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-methylphenol; and a process including the steps of coating the composition onto a 8 to 12-inch substrate, drying, exposing and developing the same. The composition which can form a pattern having a good shape whose dimensional changes are minimized in a wide range over surface of the substrate, particularly in processes using a large-diameter substrate, and the process for forming a resist pattern using the composition are provided.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, in which part of phenolic hydroxyl groups is protected by an acid-decomposable group; (B) a quinonediazide ester; and (C) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation of light with a wavelength of 365 nm. This positive photoresist composition can form a fine pattern of about 0.35 &mgr;m in the photolithographic process using i-ray (365 nm), is excellent in focal depth range properties in such an ultrafine region, and has a high sensitivity.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane and/or 2,4-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-5-methylbenzyl]-6-cyclohexylphenol, and (C) 4,4′-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone. The composition exhibits high sensitivity and definition and improved focal depth range properties and underexposure margin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel aqueous developer solution used in the development treatment of an actinic ray-sensitive resist for the manufacture of, for example, semiconductor devices, which is capable of giving a patterned resist layer free from the troubles of film residue or scum deposition in any finest patterning. The developer solution contains, in addition to a nitrogen-containing organic basic compound, e.g., tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, dissolved in an aqueous medium as the solvent, an anionic surface active agent which is a diphenyl ether compound having at least one ammonium sulfonate group, such as an ammonium alkyl diphenylether sulfonate, in a concentration of 0.05 to 5% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rinsing solution for lithography with which finely processed parts of a resist pattern can be well rinsed without corroding a metallic film made of Al, Al—Si, Al—Si—Cu, etc. and which is economically advantageous and has a high safety; and a method for processing a substrate with the use of the same. The rinsing solution contains at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether and ethyl lactate.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition includes (A) an alkali-soluble resin, and (B) a photosensitizer including an ester of a 1,2-naphthoquinonediazidesulfonyl compound with a compound of the following formula (I). This positive photoresist composition has satisfactory sensitivity, definition, and depth of focus properties, can form both dense patterns and isolation patterns with good shapes in the formation of mixed resist patterns, and can minimize inverted taper shape formation of isolation resist patterns induced by shifts of focal depth to the minus side.

Abstract: In a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble resin and (B) a photosensitizer, Ingredient (B) contains (B-1) a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., bis[2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]methane or 2,4-bis[4-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-5-methylbenzyl]-6-cyclohexylphenol, and (B-2) a quinonediazide ester of, e.g., methyl gallate or 2,2-bis(2,3,4-trihydroxyphenyl)propane. The composition exhibits high sensitivity and definition, and improved focal depth range properties and underexposure margin.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved, chemically-amplifying positive resist composition for radiations, especially UV rays, deep-UV rays, excimer laser beams, X-rays, electron beams. The composition comprises (A) a resin component whose solubility in an alkaline aqueous solution is increased by the action of acids, (B) a chemical compound which generates an acid when exposed to radiations, and (C) an organic carboxylic acid compound and (D) an amine, in which said resin component (A) is a mixture comprising (a) a polyhydroxystyrene having a weight-average molecular weight of from 8,000 to 25,000 and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 1.