Interconnect structure fabricated without dry plasma etch processing

A method for fabricating a microelectronic structure comprising:

• forming a first capping layer self-aligned upon a first conductor layer formed within a base dielectric layer formed over a substrate;
• forming a developable but not imageable bottom anti-reflective coating layer over the substrate that includes the first capping layer formed upon the first conductor layer formed within the base dielectric layer;
• forming at least one imageable inter-level dielectric layer upon the developable but not imageable bottom anti-reflective coating layer, said at least one imageable inter-level dielectric layer comprising a functionalized polymer having one or more acid-sensitive functional groups;
• and
• imaging and developing the at least one imageable inter-level dielectric layer and developing the developable but not imageable bottom anti-reflective coating layer to form a patterned inter-level dielectric layer formed upon a patterned bottom anti-reflective coating layer that defines an aperture located over the first conductor layer.