Patent ID: 7033740

Claim:
A process for consolidating resist structures, which comprises the following method steps: applying a resist to a substrate, said resist being a chemically amplified resist, including: a film-forming polymer having a first monomer and a second monomer, and wherein: said first monomer is at least monofluorinated and contains an anchor group for attachment to an amplifying agent; said first monomer is selected from the group consisting of monofluorinated or polyfluorinated maleic anhydride, monofluorinated or polyfluorinated itaconic anhydride, monofluorinated or polyfluorinated cyclohexenedi-carboxylic anhydride and monofluorinated or polyfluorinated methacrylic anhydride; and said second monomer contains acid-labile groups producing alkaline-soluble groups in said polymer through catalytic action of a strong acid; a photoacid generator; and a solvent; drying the resist to form a dried resist; exposing with radiation having a wavelength of less than 200 nm the dried resist to form an exposed resist containing a latent image; heating the exposed resist to a first temperature, to thereby transform the latent image into a chemical profile, and liberating polar groups on the polymer; developing the resist with an aqueous alkaline developer, to detach areas of the chemical profile containing polar groups of the polymer from the substrate, to form a structured resist; applying an amplifying agent to the structured resist; and washing off excessive amplifying agent.