Fluorine-contained photoacid generators (PAGs) and corresponding polymer resists

A new series of fluorinated anionic photoacid generators (PAGs) (F4-MBS-TPS, F4VBzBS-TPS, F4-IBBS-TPS, CF3 MBS-TPS, MTFBS-TPS and VBzTFBS-TPS), and corresponding PAG bound polymeric resists (HS-EA-PAG) based on hydroxystyrene (HOST) and 2-ethyl-2-adamantyl methacrylate (EA), (GB-EA-PAG) based on γ-butyrolactone methacrylate (GBLMA) and 2-ethyl-2-adamantyl methacrylate (EA) were prepared and characterized. The acid generating efficiency of PAG bound polymers (HS-EA-PAG) series was in the range of 54–81%, which agrees well with the electron withdrawing effect of the substituents. With regard to the referenced F4-PAG bound polymer with 68% acid generating efficiency, and our previously reported EUVL results of F4-MBS-TPS bound polymer photoresists, these new PAG bound polymers should be effective resists for 193 nm or EUV lithography.