Reticulation resistant photoresist coating

Claim 1

A process for etching an integrated circuit substrate, said process comprising the steps of forming an imaged and developed positive working photoresist coating over said integrated circuit substrate, said photoresist prior to imaging and developing comprising a binder selected from the group of novolak resins and polyvinyl phenol resins, a photoactive naphthoguinone diazide sulfonic acid ester and an essentially unreacted acid activated cross-linking agent, and subjecting said coated substrate to an etching plasma in a gaseous stream that contains a Lewis acid during etching whereby a cross-linked surface layer is formed on said photoresist wherein the concentration of the acid activated cross-linking agent is sufficient to form a surface layer of cross-linked photoresist over the imaged photoresist film adequate to prevent significant reticulation of the photoresist image during plasma etching.