Method and materials for reverse patterning

A method for forming a reverse pattern on a substrate wherein the method comprises

• (I) applying a coating composition over a first patterned material wherein the coating composition comprises
• (i) a silsesquioxane resin comprised of the units
• (MeSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)m
• (RSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)n
• (R1SiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)o
• (SiO(4-x)/2(OR′)x)p
• (Ph(CH2)sSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)q
• where Ph is a phenyl group, Me is a methyl group;
• R′ is hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• R is a reactive organic group selected from groups containing epoxy functionality and groups containing acryloxy functionality, R1 is a hydrophilic group;
• and s has a value of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• x has a value of 0, 1 or 2;
• and in the resin m has a value of 0.2 to 0.95, n has a value of 0.01 to 0.5;
• o has a value of 0 to 0.20;
• p has a value of 0 to 0.75;
• q has a value of 0 to 0.5 and m+n+o+p+q≈1;
• and
• (ii) a solvent for carrying the resin without dissolving the first patterned material;
• and
• (iii) an activator;
• (III) curing the coating composition to produce a cured silicon coating on top of the first patterned material covering the entire pattern;
• (IV) partially removing the cured silicon coating to expose the top surface of the first patterned material;
• (V) removing the first patterned material thereby forming a second patterned in the cured silicon coating;
• and
• (VI) optionally, further transferring the second pattern onto any underlayer;
• wherein the first patterned material is formed by a method consisting of applying a photoresist to the substrate and patterning the applied photoresist to form the first patterned material.