A photoacid generator (PAG) anion, a photoresist composition, and a method are disclosed. The PAG anion includes a moiety, selected from an alkyl group, a monocyclic aromatic group, and a bicyclic aromatic group, that includes a carbon atom with a negative elementary charge. The PAG anion also includes an electron acceptor atom, selected from boron(III), aluminum(III), and phosphorus(V), which is covalently bonded to the carbon atom. The PAG anion also has at least one electron-withdrawing R group. The photoresist composition has a PAG that includes the PAG anion and a cation selected from triphenylsulfonium, diphenyliodonium, phenylthiolanium, and derivatives thereof. The method includes forming a layer of the photoresist composition over a material surface on a substrate, irradiating the layer to form a pattern of radiation-exposed regions, selectively removing portions of the irradiated layer to form exposed portions of the material surface, and etching or ion implanting the exposed portions.

A photosensitive composition and film prepared from the same are provided. The photosensitive composition includes 100 parts by weight of polyimide, 0.25-50 parts by weight of initiator and 0.25-100 parts by weight of crosslinking agent. The polyimide is a product of a reactant (a) and a reactant (b) via a reaction. The reactant (a) consists of a first dianhydride and a second dianhydride. The molar ratio of the first dianhydride to the second dianhydride is 3:7 to 8:2. The reactant (b) includes a first diamine. The first dianhydride, the second dianhydride and the first diamine are disclosed in the specification.

A photosensitive composition and film prepared from the same are provided. The photosensitive composition includes 100 parts by weight of polyimide, 0.25-50 parts by weight of initiator and 0.25-100 parts by weight of crosslinking agent. The polyimide is a product of a reactant (a) and a reactant (b) via a reaction. The reactant (a) consists of a first dianhydride and a second dianhydride. The molar ratio of the first dianhydride to the second dianhydride is 3:7 to 8:2. The reactant (b) includes a first diamine. The first dianhydride, the second dianhydride and the first diamine are disclosed in the specification.

A novel onium salt of formula (1) and a chemically amplified resist composition comprising the same as a PAG are provided. When processed by photolithography using KrF or ArF excimer laser, EB or EUV, the resist composition has a high sensitivity and reduced acid diffusion and is improved in exposure latitude, MEF, and LWR. ##STR00001##

A transfer film includes a temporary support; and a photosensitive layer, in which the photosensitive layer includes a polymer A containing a constitutional unit represented by Formula A1, a constitutional unit derived from a monomer having an alicyclic structure, and a constitutional unit having a radically polymerizable group, a radically polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator, a content of the constitutional unit represented by Formula A1 is 10% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the polymer A, a content of the constitutional unit derived from the monomer having the alicyclic structure is 15% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the polymer A, and a glass transition temperature of a homopolymer of the monomer having the alicyclic structure is 120° C. or higher. ##STR00001##

A transfer film includes a temporary support; and a photosensitive layer, in which the photosensitive layer includes a polymer A containing a constitutional unit represented by Formula A1, a constitutional unit derived from a monomer having an alicyclic structure, and a constitutional unit having a radically polymerizable group, a radically polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator, a content of the constitutional unit represented by Formula A1 is 10% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the polymer A, a content of the constitutional unit derived from the monomer having the alicyclic structure is 15% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the polymer A, and a glass transition temperature of a homopolymer of the monomer having the alicyclic structure is 120° C. or higher. ##STR00001##

A resist composition including: a base material component (A), a compound (B1) represented by Formula (b1-1), and a fluorine additive component (F) which contains a fluororesin component (F1) having a constitutional unit (f1) represented by Formula (f-1) and a constitutional unit (f2) represented by Formula (f-2); in Formula (b1-1), V.sup.b01 represents a fluorinated alkylene group, R.sup.b02 represents a fluorine atom or a hydrogen atom, a total number of fluorine atoms as V.sup.b01 and R.sup.b02 is 2 or 3; in Formula (f-1), Rf.sup.1 represents a monovalent organic group having a fluorine atom; in Formula (f-2), Rf.sup.2 represents a group represented by Formula (f2-r-1), which is a group containing a polycyclic aliphatic cyclic group. ##STR00001##

A photoresist composition includes a photoactive compound and a polymer. The polymer has a polymer backbone including one or more groups selected from: ##STR00001##
The polymer backbone includes at least one group selected from B, C-1, or C-2, wherein ALG is an acid labile group, and X is linking group.

A fluorocarboxylic acid-containing polymer comprising recurring units having formula (A1), but not acid labile group-containing recurring units is provided. A resist composition comprising the same offers a high sensitivity and is unsusceptible to nano-bridging or pattern collapse independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone. ##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a polymer is provided, the polymer comprising repeat units derived from a sulfonium or iodonium salt having a nitro-substituted benzene ring in a linker between a polymerizable unsaturated bond and a fluorosulfonic acid site. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.