Substituted norbornene fluoroacrylate copolymers and use thereof in lithographic photoresist compositions

A copolymer comprised of monomer units having the structure of formula (III)

• wherein m is zero or 1, r is zero or 1, L is an alkylene or oxyalkylene linking group, R1 is linear or branched fluoroalkyl, R2 is linear or branched alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, —C(O)R, —CH2—C(O)OR, C(O)OR, or Si(R)3 wherein R is alkyl, and at least one additional monomer unit having the structure (IV)
• wherein R4 is —COOH, —CN, an amide, an acid-inert ester, or an acid-cleavable functionality.

In a lithographic photoresist composition comprised of a polymer transparent to deep ultraviolet radiation and a radiation-sensitive acid generator, the improvement which comprises employing as the polymer a copolymer comprised of monomer units having the structure of formula (III)

• wherein m is zero or 1, r is zero or 1, L is an alkylene or oxyalkylene linking group, R1 is linear or branched fluoroalkyl, R2 is linear or branched alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, —C(O)R, —CH2—C(O)OR, C(O)OR, or Si(R)3 wherein R is alkyl, and at least one additional monomer unit having the structure (IV)
• wherein R4 is —COOH, —CN, an amide, an acid-inert ester, or an acid-cleavable functionality.