Patent attributes
Disclosed is a chemical-amplification negative-working photoresist composition used for photolithographic patterning in the manufacture of semiconductor devices suitable for patterning light-exposure to ArF excimer laser beams and capable of giving a high-resolution patterned resist layer free from swelling and having an orthogonal cross sectional profile by alkali-development. The characteristic ingredient of the composition is the resinous compound which has two types of functional groups, e.g., hydroxyalkyl groups and carboxyl or carboxylate ester groups, capable of reacting each with the other to form intramolecular and/or intermolecular ester linkages in the presence of an acid released from the radiation-sensitive acid generating agent to cause insolubilization of the resinous ingredient in an aqueous alkaline developer solution.
