PHOTORESIST COMPOSITION AND METALLIZATION METHOD

1 . A photoresist composition, comprising:

a polymer comprising a first repeat unit of formula (3) and a second repeat unit of formula (4):

wherein: R 1 is a hydrogen atom or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 3 alkyl; Z is a non-hydrogen substituent comprising an acid-labile moiety;

a compound of formula (6):

wherein: R 2 is independently C 1 -C 3 alkyl or C 1 -C 3 alkoxy; and p is an integer from 0 to 4;

a photoacid generator; and

a solvent.

2 . The photoresist composition of claim 1 , further comprising a base quencher that is different from the compound of formula (6).

3 . The photoresist composition of claim 2 , where the base quencher is selected from N-diethyldodecanamide, 2,8-dimethyl-6H,12H-5,11-methanodibenzo[b,f][1,5]diazocine (Troger's Base), 1,1-dimethylethyl 4-hydroxypiperidine-1-carboxylate, N-allylcaprolactam, ethyl-3-(morpholino) propionate, 4-(p-tolyl) morpholine, or a combination thereof.

4 . The photoresist composition of claim 2 , where a mole ratio of the base quencher to the compound of formula (6) is 0.01:1 to 0.5:1.

5 . The photoresist composition of claim 1 , wherein the photoacid generator is selected from N-hydroxynaphthalimide trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide perfluoro-1-butanesulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide camphor-10-sulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide 2-trifluoromethylphenylsulfonate, N-hydroxy-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboximide perfluoro-1-butanesulfonate, N-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy) phthalimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide perfluorobutanesulfonate.

6 . The photoresist composition of claim 1 , where a mole ratio of the compound of formula (6) to the photoacid generator is 0.01:1 to 0.5:1.

7 . The photoresist composition of claim 1 , where the compound of formula (6) is 2-mercaptobenzoxazole.

8 . A photoresist composition comprising: (a) a polymer; (b) one or more photoacid generators; (c) a base quencher; (d) a mercaptobenzoxazole compound; and (e) a solvent;

wherein the polymer comprises the following two repeat units:

wherein R 1 is a hydrogen atom or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 3 alkyl; Z is a non-hydrogen substituent that provides an acid-labile moiety;

wherein the photoacid generator is selected from N-hydroxynaphthalimide trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide perfluoro-1-butanesulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide camphor-10-sulfonate, N-hydroxynaphthalimide 2-trifluoromethylphenylsulfonate, N-hydroxy-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboximide perfluoro-1-butanesulfonate, N-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy) phthalimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide perfluorobutanesulfonate;

wherein the base quencher selected from N-diethyldodecanamide, 2,8-dimethyl-6H,12H-5,11-methanodibenzo[b,f][1,5]diazocine (Troger's Base), 1,1-dimethylethyl 4-hydroxypiperidine-1-carboxylate, N-allylcaprolactam, ethyl-3-(morpholino) propionate, 4-(p-tolyl)morpholine, or a combination thereof;

wherein the mercaptobenzoxazole compound is of formula (6):

wherein: R 2 is independently C 1 -C 3 alkyl or C 1 -C 3 alkoxy; and p is an integer from 0 to 4; and

wherein the solid content of the photoresist composition is from 10 to 60 wt %.

9 . The photoresist composition of claim 8 , wherein the second base quencher is 2-mercaptobenzoxazole.

10 . A process comprising:

(i) providing a substrate comprising a metal layer on a surface of the substrate;

(ii) forming a photoresist layer on the metal layer, wherein the photoresist layer is formed from a photoresist composition of claim 1 ;

(iii) patternwise exposing the photoresist layer to activating radiation; and

(iv) contacting the photoresist layer with an alkaline developing solution to remove exposed portions of the photoresist layer; and

(v) immersing the substrate in a metal plating solution and depositing a metal on the metal layer in the exposed portions of the photoresist layer.