The present invention relates to a process for the production of perhalogenated hexasilane anion by reacting halogenated monosilane in the presence of organosubstituted ammonium and/or phosphonium halide at temperatures in a range from 100 to 120° C., wherein no solvent is used, and a process for the production of a cyclic silane compound of the formula Si.sub.6R.sub.12, by reacting [X].sub.2[Si.sub.6Cl.sub.14] with AlR.sub.3 in at least one organic solvent, wherein R is chlorine or methyl and X, the same or different, is a counter-cation and is preferably selected from organosubstituted ammonium, organosubstituted phosphonium, alkali metal ions and [(PEDETA)(H.sub.2SiCl)]+.

Materials containing picocrystalline quantum dots that form artificial atoms are disclosed. The picocrystalline quantum dots (in the form of born icosahedra with a nearly-symmetrical nuclear configuration) can replace corner silicon atoms in a structure that demonstrates both short range and long-range order as determined by x-ray diffraction of actual samples. A novel class of boron-rich compositions that self-assemble from boron, silicon, hydrogen and, optionally, oxygen is also disclosed. The preferred stoichiometric range for the compositions is (B.sub.12H.sub.w).sub.xSi.sub.yO.sub.z with 3≤w≤5, 2≤x≤4, 2≤y≤5 and 0≤z≤3. By varying oxygen content and the presence or absence of a significant impurity such as gold, unique electrical devices can be constructed that improve upon and are compatible with current semiconductor technology.

The present invention provides a method for producing a silanol compound capable of efficiently producing a silanol compound. The method for producing a silanol compound includes a proton exchange step of forming a silanol compound having a structure represented by following formula (c) by reacting a silicate having a structure represented by following formula (a) with an acidic compound having an acid dissociation constant pK.sub.a of −1 to 20 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

##STR00001##

(In formula (a), Q.sup.i+ represents an i-valent cation and i represents an integer of 1 to 4).

The present invention provides a method for producing a silanol compound capable of efficiently producing a silanol compound. The method for producing a silanol compound includes a proton exchange step of forming a silanol compound having a structure represented by following formula (c) by reacting a silicate having a structure represented by following formula (a) with an acidic compound having an acid dissociation constant pK.sub.a of −1 to 20 in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

##STR00001##

(In formula (a), Q.sup.i+ represents an i-valent cation and i represents an integer of 1 to 4).

A problem of The present invention is to provide a curable composition capable of forming a resist which can be easily washed after curing and which has high dry etching resistance and excellent precision of fine pattern transfer, also provide a resist film and a laminate each containing the curable composition, and further provide a pattern forming method using the resist film. The problem of the present invention can be solved by providing a curable composition containing a multifunctional polymerizable monomer (A) which has two or more groups having a polymerizable group and has at least one group Q having a polymerizable group represented by formula (1) below, the amount of silicon atoms in an nonvolatile content being 10 wt % or more.

Described herein are precursors and methods for forming silicon-containing films. In one aspect, there is provided an aza-polysilane precursor comprising at least two Si—N bonds, at least one Si—Si bond, and at least two SiH.sub.2 groups represented by the following Formula IA, IB and IC: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 alkynyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-cyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 aryl group, and a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-aryl group, a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 dialkylamino group, a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkylamino group; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 alkynyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-cyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 aryl group, and a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-aryl group, a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 dialkylamino group, a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkylamino group; wherein R.sup.1 in Formula IA cannot both be methyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 in Formula IB cannot both be iso-propyl, tert-butyl, and bezenyl and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 cannot both be methyl and phenyl.

Described herein are precursors and methods for forming silicon-containing films. In one aspect, there is provided an aza-polysilane precursor comprising at least two Si—N bonds, at least one Si—Si bond, and at least two SiH.sub.2 groups represented by the following Formula IA, IB and IC: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 alkynyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-cyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 aryl group, and a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-aryl group, a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 dialkylamino group, a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkylamino group; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 alkenyl group, a linear or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 alkynyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkyl group, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-cyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 aryl group, and a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 hetero-aryl group, a C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 dialkylamino group, a C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cyclic alkylamino group; wherein R.sup.1 in Formula IA cannot both be methyl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 in Formula IB cannot both be iso-propyl, tert-butyl, and bezenyl and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 cannot both be methyl and phenyl.

A curable composition including: (A) an ester bond-containing organosilicon compound having two or more addition reactive carbon-carbon double bonds in one molecule, shown by the following general formula (1); (B) a silicon compound having two or more silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms in one molecule; and (C) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. This provides a curable composition to give a cured product with low gas permeability as well as excellent crack resistance and light transmission property. ##STR00001##

A curable composition including: (A) an ester bond-containing organosilicon compound having two or more addition reactive carbon-carbon double bonds in one molecule, shown by the following general formula (1); (B) a silicon compound having two or more silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms in one molecule; and (C) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. This provides a curable composition to give a cured product with low gas permeability as well as excellent crack resistance and light transmission property. ##STR00001##

A method of manufacturing a fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. The method for manufacture includes opening a single edge of a closed-cage F-POSS and bridging the opened, single edge with a sulfate group. The sulfate group is converted to a disilanol, which is then reacted with a functional dichlorosilane having an organic functional group comprising at least three carbon atoms.