Ionic modification of organic resins and photoresists to produce photoactive etch resistant compositions

A photoresist composition comprising:

• an admixture of an organic resin that reacts in the presence of an acid;
• and
• a photoactive, etch resistant ionic modifier formed of an anion and a phosphonium cation, said modifier being present in said organic resin in an amount effective to produce substantial photoreactivity and etch resistance in a mixture of said resin and said modifier;
• said phosphonium cation being characterized in that it will, upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation, produce a photoreaction species that is weakly basic or neutral;
• and
• said anion being characterized in that it will, upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation, produce an acid precursor that will form a relatively strong acid in an acid-base solvent system;
• whereby said relatively strong acid will catalyze the organic resin upon exposure to an appropriate frequency of electromagnetic radiation and said relatively weak base or neutral species formed by said cation will neither substantially neutralize said acid nor interfere with the acid reaction of said organic resin.