Patent ID: 7329477

Claim:
A process for forming a photoresist pattern, comprising the steps of: (a) coating a photoresist composition comprising a photoacid generator and a photoresist polymer having an acid labile group on a substrate to form a photoresist film; (b) coating an amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition for photoresist on the upper portion of the photoresist film to form a top-coating; (c) exposing the top-coated substrate to light by using an exposer, whereby acid generated by the photoacid generator reacts with the polymer to induce solubility differences in a developing solution between the exposed portions and unexposed portions of the photoresist film; and (d) developing the exposed substrate with a developing solution to form a predetermined pattern by removing the exposed or unexposed portions of the photoresist film; wherein the amine contamination-protecting top-coating composition for photoresist comprises (i) a top-coating composition and (ii) a basic compound of which conjugate acid has pKa of about 8 or less in an amount equal to 0.015-0.5% by weight of the top-coating composition.