Provided is a compound containing a phenolic hydroxy group which has excellent heat resistance, a resist composition which has excellent thermal decomposition resistance, optical sensitivity and resolution, and a composition for a resist underlayer coating which has excellent thermal decomposition resistance and dry etching resistance. The compound containing a phenolic hydroxy group has a molecular structure represented by Structural Formula (1) below: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, n is an integer of 2 to 10, R.sup.2 is any one of an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group and a halogen atom, m is an integer of 0 to 4, and when m is 2 or greater, a plurality of R.sup.2's may be the same as or different from each other and may be bonded to either one of two aromatic rings of the naphthylene skeleton.

A phenolic hydroxyl-containing compound is provided. The compound dissolves well in solvents and can be formulated into compositions that give coatings superior in thermal decomposition resistance, alkali developability, resolution, and dry-etch resistance. Specifically, the compound is a phenolic hydroxyl-containing calixarene represented by structural formula (1):

##STR00001##

(where A is a structural unit including a dihydroxynaphthalene- or naphthol-derived structure optionally with a substituent alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or aralkyl group or halogen atom on the aromatic rings and a methylene group optionally having an alkyl or aryl group in place of one of the hydrogen atoms) and obtained using a dihydroxynaphthalene in combination with a naphthol, with the total repeat number p being an integer of 2 to 10.

A resin composition which is configured such that if the resin composition is formed into a resin composition film that has a thickness of 3.0 μm after a heat treatment at a temperature within the range of 200-350° C., the resin composition film forms a heat-resistant resin film that has a light transmittance of 50% or more at a wavelength of 365-436 nm before the heat treatment, while having a light transmittance of 10% or less at a wavelength of 365-436 nm after the heat treatment. Provided is a resin composition having a function of absorbing ultraviolet light and visible light in a short wavelength range, which is suitable for the formation of a planarization film, an insulating layer and a partition wall that are used for organic light emitting devices or display devices.

The present invention provides a tetracarboxylic acid diester compound shown by the following general formula (1),

##STR00001##

wherein X.sub.1 represents a tetravalent organic group; and R.sub.1 represents a group shown by the following general formula (2),

##STR00002##

wherein the dotted line represents a bond; Y.sub.1 represents an organic group with a valency of k+1; “k” represents 1 or 2; and “n” represents 0 or 1. There can be provided a tetracarboxylic acid diester compound that can give a polyimide precursor polymer soluble in a safe organic solvent widely used as a solvent of a composition and usable as a base resin of a photosensitive resin composition.

Provided are a naphtol-type calixarene compound having high solvent solubility, a method for producing the naphthol-type calixarene compound, a photosensitive composition that contains the naphthol-type calixarene compound and provides a coating having high thermal decomposition resistance, alkali developability, photosensitivity, and resolution, and a resist material and a coating each being made of the photosensitive composition. Specifically, provided is a naphthol-type calixarene compound including a molecular structure represented by general formula (1). [In the formula (1), R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted aralkyl group, or a halogen atom, and a plurality of R.sup.1 may be the same or different from each other; R.sup.2 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group; and n represents an integer of 2 to 10.]

##STR00001##

A modified novolak phenolic resin is obtained by reacting a novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol with a crosslinker. This method increases the molecular weight of the existing novolak phenolic resin containing at least 50 wt % of p-cresol to such a level that the resulting modified novolak phenolic resin has heat resistance enough for the photoresist application.

The present specification relates to a binder resin, a photosensitive resin composition, an insulating film and a semiconductor device.

The present invention employs a compound represented by the following formula (1) and/or a resin comprising the compound as a constituent: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 is a 2n-valent group of 1 to 60 carbon atoms or a single bond; R.sup.2 to R.sup.5 are each independently a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group of 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a thiol group, a hydroxy group, or a group in which a hydrogen atom of a hydroxy group is replaced with an acid dissociation group, provided that at least one selected from R.sup.2 to R.sup.5 is a group in which a hydrogen atom of a hydroxy group is replaced with an acid dissociation group; m.sup.2 and m.sup.3 are each independently an integer of 0 to 8; m.sup.4 and m.sup.5 are each independently an integer of 0 to 9, provided that m.sup.2, m.sup.3, m.sup.4, and m.sup.5 are not 0 at the same time; n is an integer of 1 to 4; and p.sup.2 to p.sup.5 are each independently an integer of 0 to 2.

A photosensitive resin composition for forming an interlayer insulating film, which contains an alkali-soluble resin (A), a photosensitizer (B), a thermal acid generator (T) which generates an acid when heated, and a silane coupling agent (C), and wherein the alkali-soluble resin (A) has a constituent unit (A1) represented by general formula (a-1) or an alicyclic epoxy group-containing unit (A3). In general formula (a-1), R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and Ra.sup.01 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic group having a hydroxyl group.

##STR00001##

The present invention provides a resin composition having a high sensitivity and serving to produce a cured film with a low water absorption rate. The resin composition includes: (a) an alkali-soluble resin and (b1) an amido-phenol compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (1) is located at the ortho position and/or (b2) an aromatic amido acid compound containing a carboxy group in which a monovalent group as represented by the undermentioned general formula (2) is located at the ortho position: ##STR00001##
wherein in general formula (1), X is a monovalent organic group having an alkyl group that contains 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonds directly to the carbonyl carbon in general formula (1) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; and in general formula (2), U is a monovalent organic group that has an alkyl group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms and bonding directly to the amide nitrogen in general formula (2) or a monovalent organic group that has —(YO).sub.n—; wherein Y is an alkylene group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and n is an integer of 1 to 20.