Hard-mask composition

1. A hardmask composition, comprising one or more fullerene derivatives having one or more exohedral rings expressed by the formula:

wherein n is an integer from 1 to 12, Q is a fullerene having 60, 70, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 90, 92, 94, or 96 carbon atoms, wherein R 1 through R 10 are each different or one or more are the same comprising an ester, an alcohol, a phenol, an amide, an imide, a carboxylic acid, a hydrogen, a halogen, a C 6 -C 20 aryl group, or a C 1 -C 20 alkyl group and further comprising a crosslinking agent comprising two or more thermally or catalytically reactive groups.

2. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , wherein R 9 and R 10 together comprise a non-bridged, exohedral ring structure.

3. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more exohedral rings contain a heteroatom in the ring.

4. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking agent is chosen from 4,4′-(9H-fluorene-9,9-diyl)-dianiline, an epoxy phenolic novolac resin, an epoxy cresylic novolac resin, an epoxy bisphenol A resin, an epoxy bisphenol A novolac resin, an epoxy bisphenol C resin, an alkylolmethyl melamine resin, an alkylolmethyl glycoluril resin, an alkylolmethyl guanamine resin, an alkylolmethyl benzoguanamine resin, a glycosyl urea resin, or an alkyd resin.

5. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more thermal acid generators, wherein the one or more thermal acid generators are chosen from alkyl esters of organic sulfonic acids, alicyclic esters of organic sulfonic acids, amine salts of organic sulfonic acids, 2-nitrobenzyl esters of organic sulfonic acids, 4-nitrobenzyl esters of organic sulfonic acids, benzoin esters of organic sulfonic acids, β-hydroxyalkyl esters of organic sulfonic acids, β-hydroxycycloalkyl esters of organic sulfonic acids, triaryl sulfonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, alkyl diaryl sulfonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, dialkyl aryl sulfonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, trialkyl sulfonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, diaryl iodonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, alkyl aryl sulfonium salts of organic sulfonic acids, or ammonium salts of tris(organosulfonyl) methides.

6. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fullerene derivatives comprises a blend, said blend comprising species wherein Q=60, and Q=70, and n=2 to 8.

7. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde].

8. The hardmask composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more solvents chosen from polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethyl lactate, anisole, cyclohexanone, toluene, chloroform, chlorobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, m-dichlorobenzene, p-dichlorobenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, carbon disulfide, 1-chloronaphthalene,1-methylnaphthalene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, tetrahydronaphthalene, 1,2,3-tribromopropane, bromoform, cumene, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, n-hexane, cyclohexane, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, methanol, water, pentane, heptane, octane, isooctane, decane, dodecane, tetradecane, acetone, isopropanol, dioxane, mesitylene, dichloromethane, or a mixture comprising any of the foregoing.