Cross-linking monomers for photoresist, and process for preparing photoresist polymers using the same

A process for preparing a photoresist copolymer comprising admixing at least two alicyclic monomers, a cross-linking monomer and a polymerization initiator under polymerization reaction conditions sufficient to produce the photoresist copolymer, wherein the alicyclic monomer is of the formula:

• 11
• wherein
• k and n is independently 1 or 2;
• p is an integer from 0 to 5;
• R5 and R6 are independently hydrogen or methyl;
• and
• R1, R2, R3, and R4 individually represent hydrogen, straight or branched C1-10 alkyl, straight or branched C1-10 ester, straight or branched C1-10 ketone, straight or branched C1-10 carboxylic acid, straight or branched C1-10 acetal, straight or branched C1-10 alkyl including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 ester including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 ketone including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 carboxylic acid including at least one hydroxyl group, and straight or branched C1-10 acetal including at least one hydroxyl group,
• wherein, at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 represent straight or branched C1-10 alkyl including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 ester including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 ketone including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 carboxylic group including at least one hydroxyl group, straight or branched C1-10 acetal including at least one hydroxyl group;
• and the cross-linking monomer is of the formula:
• 12
• wherein
• each of R′ and R″ is independently hydrogen or methyl;
• m is an integer from 1 to 10;
• and
• R is straight or branched C1-10 alkyl, optionally comprising an ester, a ketone, a carboxylic acid, an acetal, a hydroxyl group or a combination thereof.