Hard-mask composition

1. A hard-mask composition, comprising:

(a) a first solute, said first solute comprising one or more fullerene derivatives having one or more exohedral rings, expressed by the general formula:

(b) a second solute comprising a crosslinking agent; said crosslinking agent comprising two or more thermally or catalytically reactive groups;

(c) a first solvent;

wherein n is the number of exohedral rings and 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 carbons atoms; and

wherein at least one of R 6 or R 7 is an amine group, wherein when R 6 or R 7 is not an amine group, it is a hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, and wherein the substituent R 1 -R 5 and R 8 are each independently hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, and wherein the one or more fullerene derivatives comprises a blend, said blend comprises species wherein Q=60, and Q=70, n=2 to 8, and wherein a low particulate waste stream is produced when the hard mask composition is provided to a waste stream, wherein the waste stream is a fluid, comprising a second solvent or a diluent, wherein the solvent or diluent in the fluid is the same or different as that in the hard mask composition.

2. The hard-mask composition of claim 1 , wherein the amine groups are primary amine groups.

3. The hardmask composition of claim 1 comprising a mixture of fullerene derivatives, characterized by at least one of: a distribution of Q, a distribution of n, or different exohedral rings.

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 novolak resin, an epoxy cresylic novolak resin, an epoxy bisphenol A resin, an epoxy bisphenol A novolak resin, an epoxy bisphenol C resin, poly[(o-cresyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde, an alkylolmethyl melamine resin, an alkylolmethyl glycoluril resin, an alkylolmethyl guanamine resin, an alkylolmethyl-benzoquanamine resin, a glycosyl urea resin, or an alkyd resin.

5. The hard-mask 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 diary I 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 first solvent comprises: anisole, toluene, chloroform, chlorobenzene, o-dichloro benzene, m-dichloro benzene, p-dichloro benzene, a-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, carbon disulfide, 1-chloronaphthalene, 1-methy naphthalene, 1,2,4-trimethy benzene, tetrahydronaphthalene, 1,2,3-tribromopropane, bromoform, cumene, benzene, carbontetrachloride, chloroform, n-hexane, cyclohexane, pentane, heptane isomers, octane, isooctane, decane, dodecane, tetradecane, mesitylene, dichloromethane, or a mixture comprising any of the foregoing.