Patent ID: 6946236

Claim:
A process for producing an amplified negative resist structure, which comprises: providing a chemically amplified resist including: a polymer including acid-labile groups, which by action of an acid, are eliminated and liberate anchor groups, bringing about a change in a polarity of the polymer, a photoacid generator, and a Solvent; applying the chemically amplified resist to a substrate; removing the solvent to provide a photosensitive resist film; obtaining an exposed resist film by sectionally exposing the photosensitive resist film to liberate an acid from the photoacid generator in exposed sections of the photosensitive resist film; contrasting the exposed resist film such that the acid-labile groups of the polymer are eliminated by the acid, which has been liberated, and the anchor groups are liberated in the exposed sections of the resist film; after the contrasting, developing the exposed resist film, with a developer including: a solvent in which the polymer, when in a state including the acid-labile groups, is soluble and in which the polymer, when in a state after the anchor groups have been liberated, is substantially insoluble or swellable, and an amplifying agent including at least one aromatic group and at least one reactive group that is able to coordinate to the anchor groups of the polymer; and removing excess developer, thereby producing a chemically amplified negative resist structure on the substrate.