A chemically amplified negative resist composition is defined as comprising (A) an onium salt having an anion moiety which is a nitrogen-containing carboxylate of fused ring structure, (B) a base resin, and (C) a crosslinker. The resist composition is effective for controlling acid diffusion during the exposure step, exhibits a very high resolution during pattern formation, and forms a pattern with minimal LER.

A photoresist composition comprising: a resin (A1) which has an acid-labile group; a resin (A2) which comprises a structural unit represented by formula (I); ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 represents a C1-C13 fluorinated saturated hydrocarbon group, A.sup.1 represents a single bond, a C1-C6 alkanediyl group, or *-A.sup.2-X.sup.1-(A.sup.3-X.sup.2).sub.a-(A.sup.4).sub.b-, and R.sup.2 represents a C1-C18 hydrocarbon group; and an acid generator.

The invention provides a photosensitive resin composition, a color filter, and a liquid crystal display element thereof. The photosensitive resin composition includes an alkali-soluble resin (A), a compound (B) having an ethylenically unsaturated group, a photoinitiator (C), a solvent (D), and a black pigment (E). The compound (B) having an ethylenically unsaturated group contains a compound (B-1) having an acidic group and at least three ethylenically unsaturated groups. The photoinitiator (C) includes a photoinitiator (C-1) represented by formula (1).

##STR00001##

A negative resist composition comprising an onium salt having formula (A) and a base polymer is provided. The resist composition exhibits a high resolution during pattern formation and forms a pattern with minimal LER. ##STR00001##

A salt represented by formula (I), a quencher, and a resist composition including the same: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each represent a halogen atom, an alkyl fluoride group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, —CH.sub.2— included in the hydrocarbon group may be replaced by —O— or —CO—; and m1, m2, m3 and m4 represent an integer of 0 to 4. When m1 is 2 or more, a plurality of R.sup.1 may be the same or different from each other. When m2 is 2 or more, a plurality of R.sup.2 may be the same or different from each other. When m3 is 2 or more, a plurality of R.sup.3 may be the same or different from each other. When m4 is 2 or more, a plurality of R.sup.4 may be the same or different from each other.

A chemically amplified positive resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer which contains a polymer comprising an acid generating unit, a phenolic hydroxy group-containing unit, a unit containing a phenolic hydroxy group protected with an acid labile group, and a unit containing a carboxy group protected with an acid labile group. A resist pattern with a high resolution, reduced LER, improved rectangularity, and minimized influence of develop loading can be formed.

The present teachings relate to compositions for forming a negative-tone photopatternable dielectric material, where the compositions include, among other components, an organic filler and one or more photoactive compounds, and where the presence of the organic filler enables the effective removal of such photoactive compounds (after curing, and during or after the development step) which, if allowed to remain in the photopatterned dielectric material, would lead to deleterious effects on its dielectric properties.

The composition for forming an underlayer film for lithography according to the present invention contains a compound represented by a specific formula (1) and 20 to 99% by mass of a solvent component (S), in which 27 to 100% by mass of the compound represented by the formula (1) is included in a component (A) other than the solvent component (S).

The present application provides a block copolymer and uses thereof. The block copolymer of the present application exhibits an excellent self-assembling property or phase separation property, can be provided with a variety of required functions without constraint and, especially, etching selectivity can be secured, making the block copolymer effectively applicable to such uses as pattern formation.

The present application provides a block copolymer and uses thereof. The block copolymer of the present application exhibits an excellent self-assembling property or phase separation property, can be provided with a variety of required functions without constraint and, especially, etching selectivity can be secured, making the block copolymer effectively applicable to such uses as pattern formation.