A negative-tone resist composition is provided that contains a free photoacid generator and a multifunctional polymer covalently bound to a photoacid-generating moiety, where the composition is substantially free of cross-linking agents. Multifunctional polymers useful in conjunction with the resist composition are also provided, as is a process for generating a resist image on a substrate using the present compositions and polymers.

An epoxy compound of formula (1) is provided. A resist composition comprising the epoxy compound is capable of adequately controlling the diffusion length of acid generated from an acid generator without sacrificing sensitivity. ##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a quencher in the form of an ammonium salt consisting of an ammonium cation having an iodized aromatic ring bonded to the nitrogen atom via a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbylene group which may contain an ester bond or ether bond and a carboxylate anion having an iodized or brominated hydrocarbyl group offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Hydrophobic, tough, photoimageable, functionalized polyimide formulations have been discovered that can be UV cured and developed in cyclopentanone. The present invention formulations can be used as passivation and redistribution layers with patterning provided by photolithograph, for the redistribution of I/O pads on fan-out RDL applications. The curable polyimide formulations reduce stress on thin wafers, when compared to conventional polyimide formulations, and provide low modulus, hydrophobic solder mask. These materials can serve as protective layers in any applications in which a thin, flexible, and hydrophobic polymer is required, that also has high tensile strength and high elongation at break.

The present invention provides a negative tone photosensitive composition for EUV light, capable of forming a pattern, in which occurrence of missing defects is suppressed and pattern collapse is suppressed. The present invention also provides a pattern forming method and a method for manufacturing an electronic device. The negative tone photosensitive composition for EUV light of an embodiment of the present invention includes a resin A having a repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group with a polar group being protected with a protective group that is eliminated by the action of an acid, and a photoacid generator, in which a ClogP value of the resin after elimination of the protective group from the resin A is 1.4 or less, a value x calculated by Expression (1) is 1.2 or more, and the value x calculated by Expression (1) and a value y calculated by Expression (2) satisfy a relationship of Expression (3).

Provided are: a new sulfonium salt highly photosensitive to active energy ray, in particular, i-line or h-line; and a new photoacid generator which is highly photosensitive to i-line or h-line, and comprises a sulfonium salt that is highly soluble in a solvent and a cationically polymerizable compound such as an epoxy compound, and has excellent storage stability in the formulation. The present invention pertains to a sulfonium salt represented by general formula (1), and a photoacid generator comprising said sulfonium salt.

##STR00001##

Provided is a compound that can be used as a base resin for a photosensitive resin composition. The photosensitive resin can form a fine pattern and can achieve high resolution without impairing mechanical strength and solubility. The compound is represented by the general formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein Z represents a linear, branched or cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms; X.sup.1 to X.sup.3 represent any of —CO.sub.2—, —CONR.sup.X1—, —O—, —NR.sup.X1—, —S—, —SO.sub.2—, —SO.sub.3— and —SO.sub.2NR.sup.X1— and may be the same as or different from each other, provided that R.sup.X1 is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; Ar represents a divalent aromatic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms; L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 independently represent a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and x and y are each independently 0 or 1.

A chemically-amplified negative resist composition includes: (A) an acid generator containing an onium salt (s) shown by the following formula(e) (A-1) and/or (A-2); and (B) a base polymer containing repeating units shown by the following formulae (B1) and (B2). Thus, the present invention provides: a chemically-amplified negative resist composition which provides a pattern with high sensitivity, low LWR and CDU, and favorable profile; and a resist patterning process using the composition. ##STR00001##

A photosensitive resin composition comprising (A) a polyimide precursor having a polymerizable unsaturated bond; (B) a polymerizable monomer having an aliphatic cyclic skeleton; (C) a photopolymerization initiator; and (D) a solvent.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising i) at least one polythiophene comprising monomer units of structure (Ia) or (Ib)

##STR00001## in which *, X, Z, R, and R.sup.1-R.sup.6 are as defined herein; ii) at least one organic compound carrying one or two inorganic acid group(s), preferably one or two sulfonic acid group(s), one or two sulfuric acid group(s), one or two phosphonic acid group(s) or one or two phosphoric acid group(s), or a salt of said organic compound, wherein the molecular weight of the organic compound or the salt thereof is less than 1,000 g/mol; and iii) at least one organic solvent. A method of preparing such compounds is also provided.