Fluorinated vinyl ethers, copolymers thereof, and use in lithographic photoresist compositions

Abstract

Copolymers prepared by copolymerization of at least one fluorinated vinyl ether are provided. In one embodiment, the at least one fluorinated vinyl ether comprises ethylene directly substituted at an olefinic carbon atom with a moiety —OR* and optionally substituted with one, two, or three additional nonhydrogen substituents, wherein R* comprises a fluorinated alkyl moiety substituted with a protected or unprotected hydroxyl group, and further wherein an atom within R* may be (i) taken together with one of the additional nonhydrogen substituents, if present, or (ii) directly bound to an olefinic carbon atom, to form a ring. The polymers are useful, for example, in lithographic photoresist compositions, particularly chemical amplification resists. In a preferred embodiment, the polymers are substantially transparent to deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation, and are thus useful in DUV lithographic photoresist compositions. A method for using the composition to generate resist images on a substrate is also provided, i.e., in the manufacture of integrated circuits or the like.