Abstract: It is disclosed an over-coating agent for forming fine patterns which is applied to cover a substrate having thereon photoresist patterns and allowed to shrink under heat so that the spacing between adjacent photoresist patterns is lessened, with the applied film of the over-coating agent being removed substantially completely to form or define fine trace patterns, further characterized by containing a water-soluble polymer and a water-soluble fluorine compound (e.g. a fluoro-alkyl alcohol or a fluoroalkyl carboxylic acid). Also disclosed is a method of forming fine-line patterns using the over-coating agent. According to the invention, one can reduce microfoaming and defects to produce fine-line patterns that have good leveling and coating properties and which also present satisfactory profiles and meet the characteristics required of today's semiconductor devices.

Abstract: The invention discloses improvements in the so-called coated thermal flow process for reducing the pattern dimension of a patterned resist layer on a substrate to accomplish increased fineness of resist patterning, in which a coating layer of a water-soluble resin formed on the patterned resist layer is heat-treated to effect thermal shrinkage of the coating layer with simultaneous reduction of the pattern dimension followed by removal of the coating layer by washing with water. The improvement of the process is obtained by using an aqueous coating solution admixed with a water-soluble amine compound such as triethanolamine in addition to a water-soluble resin such as a polyacrylic acid-based polymer.

Abstract: The invention discloses improvements in the so-called coated thermal flow process for reducing the pattern dimension of a patterned resist layer on a substrate to accomplish increased fineness of resist patterning, in which a coating layer of a water-soluble resin formed on the patterned resist layer is heat-treated to effect thermal shrinkage of the coating layer with simultaneous reduction of the pattern dimension followed by removal of the coating layer by washing with water. The improvement of the process is obtained by using an aqueous coating solution admixed with a water-soluble amine compound such as triethanolamine in addition to a water-soluble resin such as a polyacrylic acid-based polymer.

Abstract: The invention discloses improvements in the so-called coated thermal flow process for reducing the pattern dimension of a patterned resist layer on a substrate to accomplish increased fineness of resist patterning, in which a coating layer of a water-soluble resin formed on the patterned resist layer is heat-treated to effect thermal shrinkage of the coating layer with simultaneous reduction of the pattern dimension followed by removal of the coating layer by washing with water. The improvement of the process is obtained by using an aqueous coating solution admixed with a water-soluble amine compound such as triethanolamine in addition to a water-soluble resin such as a polyacrylic acid-based polymer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a negative-working photolithographic patterning material consisting of a substrate and a negative-working photoresist layer having a relatively large thickness on the substrate surface which is suitable for the formation of a patternwise masking layer in a patternwise ion-implantation or metal plating treatment. The negative working photoresist layer is formed from a negative-working chemical amplification photoresist composition comprising an alkali-soluble resinous ingredient, a radiation-sensitive acid-generating agent and a crosslinking agent, of which the alkali-soluble resinous ingredient is a m-cresol novolak resin prepared by the acid-catalyzed condensation reaction of formaldehyde and m-cresol alone as the phenolic reactant or a combination of such a m-cresol novolak resin and a polyhydroxystyrene resin of which at least 50% by weight is the m-cresol novolak resin.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel high-sensitivity positive- and negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist compositions capable of giving a highly heat-resistant patterned resist layer of high resolution having excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile without being influenced by standing waves. The composition contains, as an acid generating agent by irradiation with actinic rays, a specific cyano-substituted oximesulfonate compound such as .alpha.-(methylsulfonyloxyimino)-4-methoxybenzyl cyanide. The advantages obtained by the use of this specific acid-generating agent is remarkable when the film-forming resinous ingredient has such a molecular weight distribution that the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight does not exceed 3.5.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical-amplification-type negative resist composition containing an alkali-soluble resin, a compound capable of generating an acid by irradiation and a crosslinking agent, and the resist composition of the present invention is characterized in that it further contains an organic carboxylic acid compound as an acidic compound and an organic amine compound as an alkaline compound.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel high-sensitivity positive- and negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist compositions capable of giving a highly heat-resistant patterned resist layer of high resolution having excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile without being influenced by standing waves. The composition contains, as an acid generating agent by irradiation with actinic rays, a specific cyano-substituted oximesulfonate compound such as .alpha.-(methylsulfonyloxyimino)-4-methoxybenzyl cyanide. The advantages obtained by the use of this specific acid-generating agent is remarkable when the film-forming resinous ingredient has such a molecular weight distribution that the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight does not exceed 3.5.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working or negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist composition useful in the photolithographic patterning works for the manufacture of electronic devices. The photoresist composition is characterized by a unique acid-generating agent capable of releasing an acid by the pattern-wise exposure of the resist layer to actinic rays so as to increase or decrease the solubility of the resist layer in an aqueous alkaline developer solution. The acid-generating agent proposed is a novel cyano group-containing oxime sulfonate di- or triester compound represented by the general formulaA[C(CN).dbd.N--O--SO.sub.2 --R].sub.n,in which each R is, independently from the others, an unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group such as alkyl groups, A is a divalent or tervalent organic group or, preferably, phenylene group and the subscript n is 2, when A is a divalent group, or 3, when A is a tervalent group or, preferably 2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel positive-working or negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist composition useful in the photolithographic patterning works for the manufacture of electronic devices. The photoresist composition is characterized by a unique acid-generating agent capable of releasing an acid by the pattern-wise exposure of the resist layer to actinic rays so as to increase or decrease the solubility of the resist layer in an aqueous alkaline developer solution. The acid-generating agent proposed is a novel cyano group-containing oxime sulfonate di- or triester compound represented by the general formulaA[C(CN).dbd.N--O--SO.sub.2 --R].sub.n,in which each R is, independently from the others, an unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group such as alkyl groups, A is a divalent or tervalent organic group or, preferably, phenylene group and the subscript n is 2, when A is a divalent group, or 3, when A is a tervalent group or, preferably 2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chemical-amplification-type negative resist composition and a method for forming a negative resist pattern using the same. The chemical-amplification-type negative resist composition comprises (A) an alkali-soluble resin, (B) an acid-generating agent, and (C) a compound capable of causing crosslinking reaction in the presence of an acid, wherein the ingredient (A) is a mixture comprising (i) a copolymer which comprises constitutional repeating units of a hydroxystyrene type, has a weight average molecular weight of 2,000 to 4,000, and has a ratio of the weight average molecular weight to the number average molecular weight falling within 1.0 to 2.0; and (ii) a hydroxystyrene homopolymer, and wherein the dissolution rate of the ingredient (A) at 23.degree. C. in a 2.38% by weight tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution falls within 80 to 300 nm/s.

Abstract: Proposed is a novel negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist composition used in the photolithographic patterning work for the manufacture of semiconductor devices and the like and capable of giving a patterned resist layer with high sensitivity and pattern resolution as well as excellent heat resistance and excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer. The composition comprises, as a uniform solution:(A) 100 parts by weight of an alkali-soluble resin which is a polyhydroxystyrene-based resin having a weight-average molecular weight of at least 2000;(B) from 3 to 70 parts by weight of an acid-crosslinkable compound which is an amino resin having hydroxyalkyl and/or alkoxyalkyl groups;(C) from 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating compound selected from several types of specific oximesulfonate compounds; and(D) from 0.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel high-sensitivity positive- and negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist compositions capable of giving a highly heat-resistant patterned resist layer of high resolution having excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile without being influenced by standing waves. The composition contains, as an acid generating agent by irradiation with actinic rays, a specific cyano-substituted oximesulfonate compound such as .alpha.-(methylsulfonyloxyimino)-4-methoxybenzyl cyanide. The advantages obtained by the use of this specific acid-generating agent is remarkable when the film-forming resinous ingredient has such a molecular weight distribution that the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight does not exceed 3.5.