Embodiments encompassing a series of compositions containing photoacid generator (PAG) and a base are disclosed and claimed. The compositions are useful as permanent dielectric materials. More specifically, embodiments encompassing compositions containing a series of copolymers of a variety of norbornene-type cycloolefinic monomers and maleic anhydride in which maleic anhydride is fully or partially hydrolyzed (i.e., ring opened and fully or partially esterified), PAG and a base, which are useful in forming permanent dielectric materials having utility in a variety of electronic material applications, among various other uses, are disclosed.

A positive resist composition comprising a polymer adapted to be decomposed under the action of acid to increase its solubility in alkaline developer and a sulfonium compound of specific structure has a high resolution. When the resist composition is processed by lithography, a pattern with minimal LER can be formed.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass self-imagable polymer compositions containing a variety of photobase generators which are useful for forming films that can be patterned to create structures for microelectronic devices, microelectronic packaging, microelectromechanical systems, optoelectronic devices and displays. The compositions of this invention can be tailored to form positive tone or negative tone images depending upon the intended application in aqueous developable medium. The images formed therefrom exhibit improved properties including low wafer stress and better thermo-mechanical properties, among other property enhancements.

There is provided a resist composition containing a resin. The resin includes a repeating unit (a) having one or more *OY.sub.0 groups substituted for an aromatic ring; and a phenolic hydroxyl group (b) or a partial structure (c) represented by Formula (X). Here, the *OY.sub.0 group is a group that is decomposed due to an action of an acid to generate a phenolic hydroxyl group, and Y.sub.0 is a specific protective group. In a case where the repeating unit (a) includes none of the phenolic hydroxyl group (b) and the partial structure (c), the repeating unit (a) is a repeating unit in which the *OY.sub.0 group is decomposed due to an action of an acid to generate two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups.

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A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium or iodonium salt of iodized benzoyloxy-containing fluorinated sulfonic acid offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

A composition for forming a resist underlayer film that enables the formation of a resist pattern; and resist pattern production and semiconductor device manufacturing methods, which use the composition for forming a resist underlayer film. The composition for forming a resist underlayer film has a basic organic group substituted with a protecting group in the repeating unit structure of a polymer containing a heterocycle, or at a terminal thereof, and further includes a solvent. The polymer may include a heterocycle containing an alkenyl group having 2-10 carbon atoms. The polymer may have, in a main chain thereof, at least one structural unit represented by Formula (3). (In Formula (3), A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group, and Q1 represents a divalent organic group including a heterocycle, and m1 and m2 each independently represent 0 or 1.)

Various polycycloolefinic polymers containing phenolic pendent groups and compositions thereof useful for forming self-imageable films encompassing such polymers are disclosed. Such polymers encompass norbornene-type repeating units containing phenolic pendent groups which contain very low levels of fluorine containing monomers. The films formed from such polymer compositions provide self imageable, low-k, thermally stable layers for use in microelectronic and optoelectronic devices.

A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer containing an iodized polymer, and an acid generator containing a sulfonium salt and/or iodonium salt of iodized benzene ring-containing fluorosulfonic acid. When processed by lithography, the resist composition exhibits a high sensitivity, low LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive tone or negative tone.

A three-dimensional (3D) structure for handling fluids, a fluid handling device containing the 3D structure, and a method of making the 3D structure. The 3D structure includes a composite photoresist material that includes: (a) a first layer having a first photoacid generator therein having at least a first radiation exposure wavelength and (b) at least a second layer having a second photoacid generator therein having a second radiation exposure wavelength that is different from the first radiation exposure wavelength, and wherein the composite photoresist material is devoid of an adhesion promotion layer between layers of the composite photoresist material.

A method of making paper-based biosensor pattern comprises a sheet of paper provided as a substrate, and coating a hydrophobic photoresist on the substrate as a coating layer. At least a portion of the coating layer is exposed to make the hydrophobic photoresist in one or more exposed areas become a hydrophilic structure. The hydrophobic photoresist in one or more covered/unexposed area remains hydrophobic, thereby defining a pattern of the paper-based biosensor.