Chemically amplified radiation-sensitive composition used in a process for fabricating a semiconductor device

Claim 1

A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (1) forming a radiation-sensitive region on a device substrate; (2) exposing said region to said radiation to form a pattern; (3) developing said pattern; and (4) employing said pattern to define areas of said device; wherein said radiation-sensitive region is a radiation-sensitive composition comprising in admixture: (a) an alkali-soluble binder resin made by a condensation reaction of: (i) hydroxy styrene moiety having formula [1] or [2]: ##STR8## wherein x is an integer from 2 to 300; with (ii) a monomethylolated phenolic compound having a formula [8]: ##STR9## wherein R 1 and R 2 are individually selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy group having 1-4 carbon atoms, amino group, and carboxylic acid group; wherein R 3 and R 4 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy groups having 1-4 carbon atoms, an amino group, and a carboxylic group; and wherein a mole ratio of the hydroxystyrene moiety to the monomethylolated phenolic compound is from about 1:10 to about 10:1; (b) at least one alkaline dissolution inhibitor containing acid-cleavable groups; and (c) at least one compound that results in the generation of an acidic moiety under irradiation.