Photoresist composition comprising amide compound and pattern formation methods using the same

1. A photoresist composition comprising:

a first polymer comprising an acid labile group;

a photoacid generator; and

an acid diffusion control agent that comprises a tri-alkyl amide compound having a lipophilicity (log P) value that is greater than 11; wherein the tri-alkyl amide compound comprises substituted or unsubstituted linear, cyclic or branched C 7 to C 20 alkyls.

2. The photoresist composition of claim 1 , wherein the tri-alkyl amide compound has the structure of formula (1)

wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently linear, cyclic or branched C 7 to C 20 alkyl groups that may be substituted or unsubstituted.

3. The photoresist composition of claim 2 , wherein R 1 has a different number of carbon atoms than R 2 and R 3 .

4. The photoresist composition of claim 3 , wherein R 2 and R 3 have the same number of carbon atoms.

5. The photoresist composition of claim 2 , wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl having 7 to 13 carbon atoms and wherein R 2 and R 3 have the same number of carbon atoms and are linear alkyls having 7 to 15 carbon atoms.

6. The photoresist composition of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer is derived from the polymerization of at least two of the following monomers:

7. A pattern formation method, comprising:

(a) applying a layer of a photoresist composition of claim 1 on a substrate;

(b) pattern-wise exposing the photoresist composition layer to activating radiation; and

(c) developing the exposed photoresist composition layer to provide a resist relief image.

8. The pattern formation method of claim 7 , further comprising transferring a pattern of the resist relief image to the substrate.

9. The pattern formation method of claim 7 , wherein the exposed photoresist composition layer is developed with an organic solvent-based developer.