Abstract: A positive photoresist composition for forming a contact hole which comprises (A) an alkali-soluble resin; (B) a naphthoquinonediazide group-containing compound; and (C) a solvent, wherein the ingredient (B) comprises: at least one naphthoquinonediazidesulfonic ester of a polyphenol compound, where said polyphenol compound is composed of from 4 to 6 benzene rings each bonding via a methylene chain, each of the methylene chains is in a meta position to other methylene chains, and each of the benzene rings has a hydroxyl group is provided. According to tie present invention, a positive photoresist composition and a process for forming a contact hole can be provided each of which gives a contact hole pattern image in exact accordance with a mask pattern without dimple formation, in the contact hole forming technologies using the phaseshift method.

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 relates to photoresist stripping liquid compositions comprising (a) 2-30 wt % of a hydroxylamine, (b) 2-35 wt % of water, (c) 25-40 wt % of at least one member selected from monoethanolamine and diethanolamine, (d) 20-32 wt % of dimethyl sulfoxide and (e) 2-20 wt % of an aromatic hydroxy compound and a method of stripping photoresists with the use of the same. The present invention provides photoresist stripping liquid compositions which are, even at higher treating temperatures, excellent in the capabilities of both stripping photoresist films and modified films and effective in prevention of the corrosion that would otherwise occur in substrates overlaid with Al or Al alloy layers or Ti layers, and a method for stripping photoresists by using the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for forming an antireflective coating film which is not liable to intermixing between the resist composition layer and the antireflective coating layer and a method for forming a resist pattern having an excellent dimensional accuracy and section shape. The composition consists of (A) a compound which produces an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays, (B) a compound which undergoes crosslinking reaction in the presence of an acid, (C) a dye and (D) an organic solvent.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a post-ashing treating liquid composition comprising a salt of hydrofluoric acid with a base free from metal ions, a water-soluble organic solvent, water, and an acetylene alcohol/alkylene oxide adduct. Disclosed also herein is a process for treatment with said treating liquid composition. For removal of resist residues such as modified photoresist films and metal depositions, the treating liquid composition and the treating process can be advantageously applied to the substrates having been dry-etched, followed by ashing under severe conditions, without corrosion on metal layers and damage to an organic SOG layer formed thereon.

Abstract: Proposed is a novel chemical-sensitization resist composition capable of giving a positively or negatively patterned resist layer of excellent pattern resolution and cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer with high sensitivity. Characteristically, the resist composition is formulated, as combined with a resinous ingredient which is subject to changes in the solubility behavior in an alkaline developer solution by interaction with an acid, with a specific oximesulfonate compound as the radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent represented by the general formula R1—C(CN)═N—O—SO2—R2, in which R1 is an inert organic group and R2 is an unsubstituted or substituted polycyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon groups such as naphthyl and polycyclic non-aromatic hydrocarbon groups such as a terpene or camphor residue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photoresist stripping liquid compositions comprising (a) 2-30 wt % of a hydroxylamine, (b) 2-35 wt % of water, (c) 25-40 wt % of at least one member selected from monoethanolamine and diethanolamine, (d) 20-32 wt % of dimethyl sulfoxide and (e) 2-20 wt % of an aromatic hydroxy compound and a method of stripping photoresists with the use of the same. The present invention provides photoresist stripping liquid compositions which are, even at higher treating temperatures, excellent in the capabilities of both stripping photoresist films and modified films and effective in prevention of the corrosion that would otherwise occur in substrates overlaid with Al or Al alloy layers or Ti layers, and a method for stripping photoresists by using the same.

Abstract: A post-ashing treating method for substrates comprising the following steps: forming a photoresist layer on a substrate having metallic layer(s) thereon; selectively exposing the photoresist layer to light; developing the light-exposed photoresist layer to provide a photoresist pattern; etching the substrate through the photoresist pattern as a mask pattern to form a metallic wired pattern; ashing the photoresist pattern; and after the completion of the ashing, bringing the substrate into contact with a treating liquid composition to thereby treat the substrate; characterized in that said treating liquid composition is one which comprises: (a) 0.5-10 wt % of a lower alkyl quaternary ammonium salt; (b) 1-50 wt % of a polyhydric alcohol; and (c) water as the balance.

Abstract: A substrate onto which a coating solution is dropped is rotated at a low speed in a first rotational mode and then after an interval of time at a high speed in a second rotational mode. At the end of the first rotational mode, the coating solution is coated to a thickness larger than a given thickness on irregularities on the substrate such as twin patterns and a global pattern, with the coating solution being coated to a thickness smaller than the given thickness between the twin patterns. Subsequently, at the start of the second rotational mode, the coating solution coated on the twin patterns and the global pattern flows into spaces between these patterns. At the end of the second rotational mode, the thickness of the coating solution on the twin patterns is almost nil, and the thickness of the coating solution on the global pattern is small in its entirety though it is somewhat large in the central area of the global pattern.

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 for forming a contact hole which comprises (A) an alkali-soluble resin; (B) a naphthoquinonediazide group-containing compound; and (C) a solvent, wherein the ingredient (B) comprises: at least one naphthoquinonediazidesulfonic ester of a polyphenol compound, where said polyphenol compound is composed of from 4 to 6 benzene rings each bonding via a methylene chain, each of the methylene chains is in a meta position to other methylene chains, and each of the benzene rings has a hydroxyl group is provided. According to the present invention, a positive photoresist composition and a process for forming a contact hole can be provided each of which gives a contact hole pattern image in exact accordance with a mask pattern without dimple formation, in the contact hole forming technologies using the phaseshift method.

Abstract: In a positive photoresist composition including (A) an alkali-soluble novolak resin and (B) a naphthoquinonediazide ester, the alkali-soluble novolak resin is obtained synthetically by condensation of phenol compounds and an aldehyde or ketone, and the phenol compounds include, for example, 1% to 20% by mole of hydroquinone, 30% to 95% by mole of m-cresol and 2% to 50% by mole of 2,5-xylenol. Thus, a high-definition positive photoresist composition can be obtained, which inhibits the formation of scum, and is satisfactory in sensitivity, sectional shape, focal depth range and other properties even in a process for the formation of an ultrafine resist pattern of 0.30 &mgr;m or below by lithography using i-ray.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition for forming a contact hole which comprises (A) an alkali-soluble resin; (B) a naphthoquinonediazide group-containing compound; and (C) a solvent, wherein the ingredient (B) comprises: at least one naphthoquinonediazidesulfonic ester of a polyphenol compound, where said polyphenol compound is composed of from 4 to 6 benzene rings each bonding via a methylene chain, each of the methylene chains is in a meta position to other methylene chains, and each of the benzene rings has a hydroxyl group is provided. According to the present invention, a positive photoresist composition and a process for forming a contact hole can be provided each of which gives a contact hole pattern image in exact accordance with a mask pattern without dimple formation, in the contact hole forming technologies using the phaseshift method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel negative-working chemical-amplification photoresist composition comprising, as the essential ingredients, (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent and (C) a cross-linking agent. Characteristically, the component (B) is a combination of a halogenoacid-generating compound and a bis(alkylsulfonyl) diazomethane compound in a specified proportion. By virtue of this unique formulation of the composition, the photoresist composition can give a patterned resist layer having excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile in a high photosensitivity.

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 compound which generates an acid when exposed to radiations, and (A) a resin component, (B) an acid-generating agent and (C) an organic carboxylic acid compound, in which said resin component (A) is a mixture comprising (a) a polyhydroxystyrene where from 10 to 60 mol % of the hydroxyl groups have been substituted by residues of a general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R.sup.2 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group, and R.sup.3 represents a lower alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;and (b) a polyhydroxystyrene where from 10 to 60 mol % of the hydroxyl groups have been substituted by tert-butoxy-carbonyloxy groups.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a liquid coating composition for use in forming an antireflective film comprising a mixture of a cyclic perfluoroalkyl polyether and a chain perfluoroalkyl polyether in a ratio of from 3:10 to 10:1 by weight, and a fluorocarbon organic solvent. Disclosed also herein is a photoresist material consisting of a photoresist layer and said antireflective film formed thereon using said liquid coating composition. The antireflective film remarkably reduces the standing-wave effect especially in the case where the photoresist layer of chemically amplified type is used. The antireflective film also has good film quality and film removability.

Abstract: A coating solution for forming an antireflective coating film making it possible to form a uniform coating film, which sustains an antireflective effect and shows no unevenness of coating or little surface discontinuity, even in a small application dose and thus ensuring the production of semiconductor devices at a low cost and a high efficiency. The coating solution for forming an antireflective coating film is one to be used for forming an anti-interference film on a resist film, characterized in that the coating solution gives a contact angle to the resist film of 15.degree. or below, when applied onto the resist film.

Abstract: A positive photoresist composition comprises (A) an alkali-soluble resin, and (B) at least one quinonediazide group-containing compound in which part or all of the hydroxyl groups of a compound represented by the following formula (I) are esterified with a quinonediazidesulfonic acid: ##STR1## wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and "a" is 0 or 1. The present invention provides a positive photoresist composition which can form a resist pattern having high film residual rate, improved development contrast between exposed portions and unexposed portions, and satisfactory definition, exposure margin, focal depth range properties and sectional shape.

Abstract: Disclosed is, for example, bis(2,5-dimethyl-3-(2-hydroxy-5-ethylbenzyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl)methane and quinonediazide ester thereof. These are used for positive photoresist compositions. According to the invention, positive photoresist compositions having a high definition, a high sensitivity and a large exposure margin can be provided.

Abstract: A process for producing a polyphenol diester comprises esterifying a polyphenol compound and a naphthoquinone-1,2-diazidesulfonyl halide in the presence of for example monomethyldicyclohexylamine, and a positive photosensitive composition contains the resultant ester. According to this process, a diester of any polyphenol compound can be obtained with ease in a good yield, and a composition using the diester can achieve a high definition and a satisfactory exposure margin.