Photoresist compositions

A positive working photoresist composition comprising an alkali soluble resin substituted with an acid labile blocking group that requires an activation energy of at least 20 Kcal/mol for deblocking, and a photoacid generating compound that undergoes photolysis when exposed to a pattern of activating radition at a wavelength of 350 nm or less to yield a sulfonic acid having a strong electron withdrawing group and a pKa that does not exceed 0, the photoacid generator has a formula:

• G-Q-SO2—RXa
• where R is an alkyl having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, X is a strong electron withdrawing group, a is a whole number, Q is oxygen or a chemical bond, and G is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl phenyl, a substituted phenyl, an imido, sulfone, sulfonium ion, or iodonium ion;
• the alkali soluble resin binder has a formula:
• 19
• where x is from about 10 to 90 percent, y is from about 1 to 75 percent, and z is from 1 to 75 percent of the mole fraction, the hydroxyl group on the hydroxystyrene may be present at either the ortho, meta, or para positions throughout the copolymer, R1 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R1 and R2 are independently halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted alkythio having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, cyano, and nitro;
• and m is an integer of from 0 to 5 and p is an integer of from 0 to 4;
• and R3, R4, and R5 are hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl.