Patterning process

1. A process for forming a pattern, comprising the steps of:

applying a first positive resist composition comprising a copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid onto a substrate to form a first resist coating, heat treating, exposing the first resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the exposed resist coating with a developer to form a first resist pattern,

said copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid comprising recurring units (a1) and recurring units (b) shown by the general formula (1):

wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl, X is a single bond, Y is a single bond or a straight or branched C 1 -C 6 alkylene group, m is 1 or 2, R 3 is an acid labile group, a1 and b are numbers in the range: 0<a1<1.0, 0<b<1.0, and 0<a1+b<1.0,

causing the first resist coating to crosslink and cure by irradiation of high-energy radiation having a wavelength of more than 200 nm to 320 nm in air,

applying a second positive resist composition onto the first resist pattern-bearing substrate to form a second resist coating, heat treating, exposing the second resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the second resist coating with a developer to form a second resist pattern.

2. A process for forming a pattern according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

applying a first positive resist composition comprising a copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid onto a substrate to form a first resist coating, heat treating, exposing the first resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the exposed resist coating with a developer to form a first resist pattern,

said copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid comprising recurring units (a1) and recurring units (b) shown by the general formula (1):

wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl, X is a single bond, Y is a single bond or a straight or branched C 1 -C 6 alkylene group, m is 1 or 2, R 3 is an acid labile group, a1 and b are numbers in the range: 0<a1<1.0, 0<b<1.0, and 0<a1+b≦1.0,

causing the first resist coating to crosslink and cure by irradiation of high-energy radiation having a wavelength of more than 200 nm to 320 nm in air and application of heat,

applying a second positive resist composition onto the first resist pattern-bearing substrate to form a second resist coating, heat treating, exposing the second resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the second resist coating with a developer to form a second resist pattern.

3. A process for forming a pattern according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

applying a first positive resist composition comprising a copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid onto a substrate to form a first resist coating, heat treating, exposing the first resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the exposed resist coating with a developer to form a first resist pattern,

said copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid comprising recurring units (a1) and recurring units (b) shown by the general formula (1):

wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl, X is a single bond, Y is a single bond or a straight or branched C 1 -C 6 alkylene group, m is 1 or 2, R 3 is an acid labile group, a1 and b are numbers in the range: 0<a1<1.0, 0<b<1.0, and 0<a1+b≦1.0,

causing the first resist coating to crosslink and cure by application of heat and subsequent irradiation of high-energy radiation having a wavelength of more than 200 nm to 320 nm in air,

applying a second positive resist composition onto the first resist pattern-bearing substrate to form a second resist coating, heat treating, exposing the second resist coating to high-energy radiation, heat treating, and developing the second resist coating with a developer to form a second resist pattern.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the high-energy radiation having a wavelength of more than 200 nm to 320 nm used in the step of causing the first resist coating to crosslink and cure is KrBr excimer light of 206 nm wavelength, KrCl excimer light of 222 nm wavelength, KrF excimer light of 248 nm wavelength, XeBr excimer light of 283 nm wavelength, XeCl excimer light of 308 nm wavelength, or emission spanning 254 nm wavelength from a low-pressure mercury lamp, high-pressure mercury lamp or metal halide lamp.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the exposure steps to form the first and second resist patterns are by immersion lithography using an ArF excimer laser of 193 nm wavelength and a liquid having a refractive index of at least 1.4 interposed between a lens and the substrate.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the liquid is water.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the first resist pattern includes spaces, the second resist pattern is formed in the spaces of the first resist pattern, whereby the distance between the first and second patterns is reduced.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the first resist pattern crosses the second resist pattern.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the second resist pattern is formed in a space area where the first resist pattern is not formed and in a different direction from the first resist pattern.

10. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said copolymer comprising recurring units having hydroxynaphthyl and recurring units having an alkaline solubility that increases under the action of acid comprises recurring units (a1), (b), (c1), and (c2) shown by the general formula (2):

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 and R 9 are each independently hydrogen or methyl, X is a single bond, Y is a single bond or a straight or branched C 1 -C 6 alkylene group, m is 1 or 2, R 3 is an acid labile group, R 5 and R 10 are each independently a single bond or a straight, branched or cyclic C 1 -C 6 alkylene group which may contain an ether or ester radical, the straight, branched or cyclic C 1 -C 6 alkylene group having a primary or secondary carbon atom bonded to the ester moiety in the formula, R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , and R 14 are each independently hydrogen or a straight, branched or cyclic C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, a1, b, c1, and c2 are numbers in the range: 0<a1<1.0, 0<b<1.0, 0≦c1<1.0, 0≦c2<1.0, 0<c1+c2<1.0, and 0<a1+b+c1+c2≦1.0.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein said recurring units (a1) having hydroxynaphthyl is derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the following formulae:

12. The process of claim 2 , wherein said recurring units (a1) having hydroxynaphthyl is derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the following formulae:

13. The process of claim 3 , wherein said recurring units (a1) having hydroxynaphthyl is derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the following formulae:

14. The process of claim 10 , wherein said recurring units (a1) having hydroxynaphthyl is derived from at least one monomer selected from group consisting of the following formulae: