Abstract: The invention provides a polymer comprising recurring units containing bridged aliphatic rings in the backbone and having a hydroxyl, acyloxy or alkoxylcarbonyloxy group as well as a lactone structure bonded through a spacer, the polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000-500,000. 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 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: A chemical amplification type resist composition uses as the base resin a polymer having a molecular weight dispersity of 1.0 to 1.5 which is a polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) and recurring units of formula (2) or a polymer comprising recurring units of formula (2) wherein R1 is alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, acetyl or carbonylalkoxy, 0<p/(p+q)≦1, R2 is hydrogen or methyl, and R3 is a tertiary hydrocarbon group of 4 to 30 carbon atoms. By virtue of the narrow dispersity effect of the polymer, the resist composition is improved in resolution as compared with prior art base resins having a wide dispersity. Advantages including a high resolution, good pattern profile and storage stability are obtained.

Abstract: An ester compound of the following formula (1) is provided.

Abstract: An ether compound of formula (1) is provided wherein R1 is H or C1-6 alkyl, R2 is C1-6 alkyl, R3 is H, C1-15 acyl or C1-15 alkoxycarbonyl which may be substituted with halogen atoms, k is 0 or 1, m is from 0 to 3, and n is from 3 to 6. The ether compound is polymerized to form a polymer having improved reactivity, robustness and substrate adhesion.

Abstract: Acetal compounds in which a 5- or 6-membered ring acetal structure is connected to a norbornene structure through a linker represented by —(CH2)m— in which one hydrogen atom may be substituted with a hydroxyl or acetoxy group, and m is from 1 to 8 are novel. Using the acetal compounds as a monomer, polymers are obtained. 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 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: An ester compound of the following formula (1) is provided. R1 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R3, R2 is H, methyl or CO2R3, R3 is C1-C15 alkyl, k is 0 or 1, Z is a divalent C2-C20 hydrocarbon group which forms a single ring or bridged ring with the carbon atom and which may contain a hetero atom, m is 0 or 1, n is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and 2m+n=2 or 3. A resist composition comprising as the base resin a polymer resulting from the ester compound is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity, resolution, and etching resistance, and is suited for micropatterning using electron beams or deep-UV.

Abstract: An ester compound of the following formula (1) is provided. R1 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R3, R2 is H, methyl or CO2R3, R3 is C1-C15 alkyl, Z is a divalent C2-C20 hydrocarbon group which forms a single ring or bridged ring with the carbon atom, m is 0 or 1, n is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and 2m+n=2 or 3. A resist composition comprising as the base resin a polymer resulting from the ester compound is sensitive to high-energy radiation, has excellent sensitivity and resolution, and is suited for micropatterning using 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 polymer comprising units of formulas (1) and (2) and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is provided. R1 is H, CH3 or CH2CO2R3, R2 is H, CH3 or CO2R3, R3 is alkyl, R4 is halogen or acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy or alkylsulfonyloxy group which may be substituted with halogen, R5 is H or alkyl, R6 is an acid labile group, Z is a single bond or a divalent hydrocarbon group, k is 0 or 1, and W is —O— or —(NR)— wherein R is H or alkyl. 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 rays.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) and having a Mw of 1,000-500,000 is provided. R1 is H, methyl or CH2CO2R3, R2 is H, methyl or CO2R3, R3 is alkyl, R4 is H, alkyl, alkoxyalkyl or acyl, R5 and R15 are acid labile groups, and at least one of R6 to R9 is a carboxyl or hydroxyl-containing monovalent hydrocarbon group, and the reminders are H or alkyl, at least one of R10 to R13 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group containing a —CO2— partial structure, and the reminders are H or alkyl, R14 is a polycyclic hydrocarbon group or polycyclic hydrocarbon-containing alkyl group, Z is a trivalent hydrocarbon group, k=0 or 1, x is>0, a, b, c and d are≧0, satisfying x+a+b+c+d=1. A resist composition comprising the polymer has significantly improved sensitivity, resolution and etching resistance and is very useful in microfabrication.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formulae (1) and (2) wherein R1 and R3 are H or methyl, R2 and R4 are C1-15 alkyl, R5 to R8 are H, or R5 and R7, and R6 and R8 form trimethylene or 1,3-cyclopentylene 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) wherein R1 is H or methyl, R2 is H or C1-8 alkyl, R3 is CO2R4, and R4 is C1-15 alkyl and recurring units having a carboxylic acid protected with an acid-decomposable protecting group containing an adamantane structure or tetracyclo-[4.4.0.12,5.17,10]dodecane structure 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 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: An ester compound of the following formula (1) is provided.

Abstract: A resist composition contains a base resin, a photoacid generator, and a solvent. The photoacid generator is a sulfonium salt of formula (1). R1 is a monovalent cyclic or bridgedring C3-20, hydrocarbon group, R2 is hydroxyl, nitro, halogen, or a straight, branched or cyclic monovalent C1-15 hydrocarbon group which may contain O, N, S or halogen atom, K− is a non-nucleophilic counter ion, x is equal to 1 or 2, and y is an integer of 0-3. The resist composition is sensitive to ArF excimer laser light, has good sensitivity and resolution, and forms a thick film which is advantageous in etching.

Abstract: A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) wherein R1 is H or methyl, R2 is H or C1-8 alkyl, R3 is hydrogen or CO2R4, and R4 is C1-15 alkyl and recurring units having a carboxylic acid protected with an acid-decomposable protecting group containing an adamantane or tetracyclo-[4.4.0.12,5.17,10]dodecane structure 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: Provided are a resist material having markedly high resolution and etching resistance of a practically usable level, and being useful for fine microfabrication; a patterning method using the resist material; and a polymer useful as a base resin for the resist material. More specifically, provided are a polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000, which comprises one or more repeating units selected from the group consisting of repeating units represented by formulae (1) to (3) below; and one or more repeating units of the formula (4) below; and a resist material containing the polymer.