A positive resist composition is provided comprising two onium salts, a base polymer comprising acid labile group-containing recurring units, and an organic solvent. The positive resist composition forms a pattern having PED stability and improved properties including DOF, LWR, and controlled footing profile.

A pattern forming method includes: applying an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation- sensitive resin composition onto a substrate to form a resist film; forming an upper layer film on the resist film, using a composition for forming an upper layer film; exposing the resist film having the upper layer film formed thereon; and developing the exposed resist film using a developer including an organic solvent to form a pattern. The composition for forming an upper layer film contains a resin having a repeating unit (a) with a ClogP value of 2.85 or more and a compound (b) with a ClogP of 1.30 or less, and the receding contact angle of the upper layer film with water is 70 degrees or more, a resist pattern formed by the pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, including the pattern forming method.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes the following operations. A photoresist layer is formed on a metal layer, in which the photoresist layer includes an additive selected from the group consisting of a first heterocyclic compound containing a triazole ring, a second heterocyclic compound containing an imidazole ring, biphenyl thiol, biphenyl dithiol, benzenethiol, and benzenedithiol. The photoresist layer is exposed to an actinic radiation. The photoresist layer is developed by a developer to form holes in the photoresist layer. Redistribution lines are formed in the holes by an electroplating process.

A resist composition comprising a sulfonium salt having an acid labile group of aromatic ring-containing tertiary ester type in the cation as the acid generator exhibits a high sensitivity and reduced LWR or improved CDU.

A laser apparatus includes an oscillator, a rotary stage that supports an optical element, a grating, a first driving mechanism that changes the angle of incidence of pulse laser light to be incident on the grating by driving the rotary stage, a second driving mechanism that changes the angle of incidence of the pulse laser light to be incident on the grating by driving the rotary stage by a smaller amount, a wavelength monitor, and a processor that cyclically changes a target wavelength of the pulse laser light. The processor calculates the moving average of drive instruction values by which the second driving mechanism is driven, and when the moving average exceeds a threshold, the processor causes the second driving mechanism to return to an initial position, and drives the first driving mechanism to cancel a change in the angle of incidence caused by the returning operation.

A photoresist composition, including an acid-sensitive polymer and photoacid generator compound having Formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein, EWG, Y, R, and M.sup.+ are the same as described in the specification.

A resist composition containing: (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having an acid-labile group; (B) a photo-acid generator shown by a general formula (B-1); and (C) a solvent, where W.sub.1 represents a cyclic divalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms and containing a heteroatom; W.sub.2 represents a cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms and not containing a heteroatom; Rf represents a divalent organic group shown by the following general formula; and M.sup.+ represents an onium cation. This provides a resist composition and a patterning process that uses the resist composition that show a particularly favorable mask dimension dependency (mask error factor: MEF), LWR, and critical dimension uniformity (CDU) particularly in photolithography where a high-energy beam such as an ArF excimer laser beam is used as a light source. ##STR00001##

A laser apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a laser oscillator that outputs pulsed laser light, a deformable mirror including a deformer that deforms a reflective surface, a first processor that drives the deformer during the period for which the reflective surface reflects the pulsed laser light, a homogenizer that homogenizes the pulsed laser light reflected off the deformable mirror, and a spectrum measuring instrument that measures the spectrum of the pulsed laser light homogenized by the homogenizer.

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and an acid generator in the form of a sulfonium or iodonium salt of a fluorinated sulfonic acid having a phenylene group which is substituted with a fluorinated cyclic group and a nitro group is provided. The resist composition offers a high sensitivity, reduced LWR and improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

Provided is a film for application to a 3D sample, the film including a photoresist layer that has alignment or direction marks thereon. After the fine pattern of the photoresist layer or coat is exposed, the photoresist layer is applied to a desired position of the 3D sample by aligning the alignment or direction marks of the film with alignment or direction marks on the 3D sample. This allows for transfer of an appropriate fine pattern. Part or all of the thickness or area of the photoresist layer is developed to form projections or depressions in the photoresist layer before the film is applied to the 3D sample.