PHOTOGENERATED BASE IN RESIST AND IMAGING MATERIALS - DESIGN OF FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BASE-CATALYZED DECARBOXYLATION

A chemically amplified resist material consisting of poly[2-cyano-2-(p -vinylphenyl) butanoic acid] and is[[(2-nitrobenzyl)oxy]carbonyl]hexan e-1,6-diamine has been designed and tested in negative and positive to ne imaging. The resist operates on the principle of base-catalyzed dec arboxylation. Amine generated by exposure to UV radiation catalyzes th e thermal loss of carbon dioxide from the polymer side chain thereby c hanging the solubility of the resist film in aqueous base developer. I mage reversal is accomplished by in situ silylation of the exposed and thermolyzed film followed by dry development using an oxygen plasma. The resist shows high sensitivity to deep UV irradiation, ca. 10 mJ/cm (2), while image contrast is excellent.