The present invention provides photoacid generators for use in chemically amplified resists and lithographic processes using the same.

A micro-structure is manufactured by patterning a sacrificial film, forming an inorganic material film on the pattern, and etching away the sacrificial film pattern through an aperture to define a space having the contour of the pattern. The patterning stage includes the steps of (A) coating a substrate with a composition comprising a cresol novolac resin, a crosslinker, and a photoacid generator, (B) heating to form a sacrificial film, (C) patternwise exposure, (D) development to form a sacrificial film pattern, and (E) forming crosslinks within the cresol novolac resin.