Process for preparing stable photoresist compositions

1. A composition of matter derived from a method of making a stable polymer from a solution of a polymer containing trace metals, said method which consists of:

(a) providing a polymer solution containing a polymer, a first solvent and trace materials;

(b) passing said polymer solution through an acidic cation ion echange material to remove said trace metals thereform and thereby forming a polymer solution containing free acid radcials:

(c) precipitating said polymer from said polymer solution of step b by contacting with a second solvent wherein the polymer is substantially insoluble therein;

(d) filtering said solution and said second solvent to thereby form a solid polymer cake;

(e)contacting said cake from step d with sufficient quantities of additional said second solvent in order to remove free acid radicals thereform;

(f) adding a compatible photoresist solvent to said polymer cake from step e and mixing the two in order to dissolve said polymer in said photoresist solvent and thereby forming a photoresist solution; and

(g) removing any residual first and second solvents from said polymer to form a stable polymer.

2. A primary photoresist composition for patterning electronic circuitry based on the composition of matter of claim 1 .