| abstract |
Providing an ionic thermal acid generator having the following general formula (I): wherein: Ar1 represents an optionally substituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic aromatic group; and W independently represents a group selected from a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a nitro group, a group of a cyano group, a C1-5 alkoxy group, and a fluorenyl group; X is a cation; Y independently represents a bonding group; and Z independently represents a selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a fluorinated alcohol, an ester, and an optionally substituted alkane. a monocyclic, polycyclic, fused polycyclic cycloaliphatic, or aryl group optionally substituted with a C5 or higher carbon, which may optionally include a hetero atom, with the constraint being at least one occurrence of Z Is a hydroxyl group; a is an integer of 0 or more; b is an integer of 1 or more; and the limitation is that a+b is at least 1 and does not exceed the total number of available aromatic carbon atoms of the aromatic group. Further, a photoresist pattern conditioning composition is provided, and a method of trimming the photoresist pattern using the conditioning composition. The thermal acid generators, compositions and methods are particularly suitable for use in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. |