Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition is provided which has high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and, in particular, a high resolution radiation-sensitive resin composition providing a wide DOF and excelling in LER. Also provided are a polymer which can be used in the composition and a novel compound useful for synthesizing the polymer. The novel compound is shown by the following formula (2), wherein R4 represents a methyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a hydrogen atom, at least one of the Rfs represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A represents a divalent organic group or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents a metal ion or an onium cation, m represents an integer of 1 to 3, and p is an integer of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern contains (1) a step of forming an underlayer film containing (A) a radiation-sensitive acid generator capable of generating an acid upon exposure to radiation rays or (B) a radiation-sensitive base generator capable of generating a base upon exposure to radiation rays on a substrate; (2) a step of irradiating the underlayer film with radiation rays through a mask with a predetermined pattern to obtain an exposed underlayer film portion having been selectively exposed through the predetermined pattern; (3) a step of forming (C) an organic thin film on the underlayer film so as to attain chemical bonding of the exposed underlayer film portion with the organic thin-film formed on the exposed underlayer film portion; and (4) a step of removing the organic thin film formed on areas of the underlayer film other than the exposed underlayer film portion.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes (1) selectively exposing a first resist layer, and developing the exposed first resist layer to form a first pattern, (2) applying a resin composition containing a hydroxyl group-containing resin and a solvent to the first pattern, baking the applied resin composition, and developing the baked resin composition to form a second pattern, the hydroxyl group-containing resin becoming insoluble or scarcely soluble in a developer when baked, and (3) totally or selectively exposing the second pattern to make the second pattern partly soluble in the developer, and developing the exposed second pattern to form a third pattern in which at least a hole or a groove is formed in the second pattern.

Abstract: A pattern formation method suitable for forming micro-patterns using electron beams (EB), X-rays, or extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) is provided.

Abstract: A compound shown by the following formula (1) can be used as a material for a radiation-sensitive composition capable of forming a resist film which effectively responds to electron beams or the like, exhibits low roughness, and can form a high precision minute pattern in a stable manner.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition is provided which has high transparency to radiation, excelling in basic properties as a resist such as sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and, in particular, a high resolution radiation-sensitive resin composition providing a wide DOF and excelling in LER. Also provided are a polymer which can be used in the composition and a novel compound useful for synthesizing the polymer. The novel compound is shown by the following formula (2), wherein R4 represents a methyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a hydrogen atom, at least one of the Rfs represents a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, A represents a divalent organic group or a single bond, G represents a divalent organic group having a fluorine atom or a single bond, Mm+ represents a metal ion or an onium cation, m represents an integer of 1 to 3, and p is an integer of 1 to 8.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition exhibiting only extremely controlled change in the sensitivity after storage when used as a chemically-amplified resist possessing high transparency at a wavelength of 193 nm or less and particularly excellent depth of focus (DOF) is provided. The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises (A) a siloxane resin having a structural unit (I) shown by the following formula (I) and/or a structural unit (II) shown by the following formula (II), (B) a photoacid generator, and (C) a solvent, the content of nitrogen-containing compounds in the composition being not more than 100 ppm, wherein A and B individually represent a substituted or unsubstituted divalent linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group, R1 represents a monovalent acid-dissociable group, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or monovalent acid-dissociable group.

Abstract: A novel polysiloxane suitable as a resin component of a chemically-amplified resist exhibiting particularly excellent I-D bias, depth of focus (DOF), and the like, a novel silane compound useful as a raw material for synthesizing the polysiloxane, and a radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising the polysiloxane are provided. The silane compound is shown by the following formula (I), and the polysiloxane has a structural unit shown by the following formula (1), wherein R is an alkyl group, R1 and R2 individually represent a fluorine atom, lower alkyl group, or lower fluoroalkyl group, n is 0 or 1, k is 1 or 2, and i is an integer of 0 to 10. The radiation-sensitive resin composition comprises the polysiloxane and a photoacid generator.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A) a resin containing a structural unit of the following formula (I), (B) a resin containing a recurring unit of the following formula (II), and (C) a photoacid generator, wherein R1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted divalent (alicyclic) hydrocarbon, R2 represents a lower alkyl group or a monovalent (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group, or any two R2s form in combination a divalent (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group, with the remaining R2 being a lower alkyl group or a monovalent (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon group, wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, or trifluoromethyl group, R4 represents a (substituted) hydrocarbon group with a valence of (c+1), (substituted) alicyclic hydrocarbon with a valence of (c+1), or (substituted) aromatic group with a valence of (c+1), R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent acid-dissociable group, a and b individually represent an integer of 0-3, provided that (a+b)?1 is

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising (A) an acid-dissociable group-containing polysiloxane and (B) a photoacid generator containing trifluoromethane sulfonic acid or a compound which generates an acid of the following formula (I), wherein Rf individually represents a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group, and Ra represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched fluoroalkyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent cyclic hydrocarbon group having 3-20 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent cyclic fluoro-hydrocarbon group having 3-20 carbon atoms. The radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention exhibits superior resolution, while maintaining high transparency to radiations and high dry etching resistance. The resin composition thus can greatly contribute to the lithography process that will become more and more minute in the future.

Abstract: A pattern forming method comprising forming a coating of a radiation-sensitive resin composition, which contains an acid-dissociable group-containing polysiloxane, alkali-insoluble or scarcely alkali-soluble but becoming alkali-soluble when the acid-dissociable group dissociates, on a film containing a polymer with a carbon content of 80 wt % or more and a polystyrene-reduced weight average molecular weight of 500-100,000, an applying radiation to the coating is provided. The method can form minute patterns with a high aspect ratio by suitably selecting a specific etching gas in the dry etching process, without being affected by standing waves.

Abstract: A pattern forming method comprising forming a coating of a radiation-sensitive resin composition, which contains an acid-dissociable group-containing polysiloxane, alkali-insoluble or scarcely alkali-soluble but becoming alkali-soluble when the acid-dissociable group dissociates, on a film containing a polymer with a carbon content of 80 wt % or more and a polystyrene-reduced weight average molecular weight of 500–100,000, an applying radiation to the coating is provided. The method can form minute patterns with a high aspect ratio by suitably selecting a specific etching gas in the dry etching process, without being affected by standing waves.

Abstract: A chemically amplified radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising a specific copolymer and a photoacid generator, wherein the copolymer contains the following recurring unit (1) and/or the recurring unit (2), and the recurring unit (3-1), wherein R1 is a hydrogen or methyl, R2 is a C4-10 tertiary alkyl, R3 and R4 are a hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl, C6-15 aromatic, C1-12 alkoxyl, or R3 and R4 may form, in combination and together with the nitrogen atom with which the R3 and R4 groups bond, a C3-15 cyclic structure, provided that R3 and R4 are not a hydrogen atom at the same time. The composition effectively responds to various radiations, exhibits excellent resolution and pattern configuration and minimal iso-dense bias, and can form fine patterns at a high precision and in a stable manner.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising an acid-labile group-containing resin obtained by living radical polymerization having a specific structure which is insoluble or scarcely soluble in alkali, but becomes alkali soluble by the action of an acid, and a photoacid generator, wherein the ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight (weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight) of the acid-labile group-containing resin is smaller than 1.5.

Abstract: A radiation sensitive refractive index changing composition comprising (A) a decomposable compound, (B) a non-decomposable compound having a higher refractive index than the decomposable compound (A), (C) a radiation sensitive decomposer and (D) a stabilizer. By exposing this composition to radiation through a pattern mask, the above components (C) and (A) of an exposed portion decompose to create a refractive index difference between the exposed portion and an unexposed portion, thereby forming a pattern having different refractive indices.

Abstract: A novel polysiloxane having high transparency to radiations with a wavelength of 193 nm or less, particularly 157 nm or less, and exhibiting superior dry etching resistance and a radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising the polysiloxane exhibiting superior sensitivity, resolution, and the like are provided. The polysiloxane is a resin having the structural unit (I) and/or structural unit (II) of the following formula (1), and having an acid-dissociable group, wherein R1 represents a monovalent aromatic group substituted with a fluorine atom or a fluoroalkyl group or a monovalent aliphatic group substituted with a fluorine atom or a fluoroalkyl group and R2 represents the above a monovalent aromatic group, the above monovalent aliphatic group, a hydrogen atom, a monovalent hydrocarbon group, haloalkyl group, or amino group.

Abstract: 1. A copolymer having recurring units of the following formulas (1), (2), and (3), wherein R1, R4, R5, and R6 are a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2, R3, and R7 represent a monovalent organic group, k is 1 or 2, 1 is 0–4, n is 1–3, m is 0–3, R8 is a substituted methyl group, 1-substituted ethyl group, 1-branched alkyl group, triorganosilyl group, triorganogermyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, acyl group, or cyclic acid-dissociable group, with two or more R8 groups being the same or different, q is 1–3, and p is 0–3, the copolymer having a GPC average molecular weight of 3,000–100,000. The composition is useful as a polymer component for a radiation-sensitive resin composition suitable as a chemically-amplified resist.

Abstract: Novel compounds acetoxymethylacenaphthylene and hydroxymethylacenaphthyleneare disclosed. A polymer prepared from these novel compounds containing a structural unit of the formula (3), wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom and R2and R3 individually represent a monovalent atom or a monovalent organic group is also disclosed. The polymer is suitable as a component for an antireflection film-forming composition exhibiting a high antireflection effect and not causing intermixing with a resist film.

Abstract: A radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising an acid-labile group-containing resin and a photoacid generator is disclosed. The resin has a structure of the formula (1), wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a monovalent acid-labile group, an alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms which does not have an acid-labile group, or an alkylcarbonyl group having 2-7 carbon atoms which does not have an acid-labile group, X1 represents a linear or branched fluorinated alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched fluorinated alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms. The resin composition exhibits high transmittance of radiation, high sensitivity, resolution, and pattern shape, and is useful as a chemically amplified resist in producing semiconductors at a high yield.

Abstract: A chemically amplified radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising a specific copolymer and a photoacid generator, wherein the copolymer contains the following recurring unit (1) and/or the recurring unit (2), and the recurring unit (3-1), wherein R1 is a hydrogen or methyl, R2 is a C4-10 tertiary alkyl, R3 and R4 are a hydrogen, C1-12 alkyl, C6-15 aromatic, C1-12 alkoxyl, or R3 and R4 may form, in combination and together with the nitrogen atom with which the R3 and R4 groups bond, a C3-15 cyclic structure, provided that R3 and R4 are not a hydrogen atom at the same time. The composition effectively responds to various radiations, exhibits excellent resolution and pattern configuration and minimal iso-dense bias, and can form fine patterns at a high precision and in a stable manner.