Nonionic Iminosulfonate Photoacid Generators for Photolithography: Synthesis, Properties, and Application in Positive Photoresists

Nonionic Iminosulfonate Photoacid Generators for Photolithography: Synthesis, Properties, and Application in Positive Photoresists Full article

Journal

ChemistrySelect
ISSN: 2365-6549

Output data

Year: 2026, Volume: 11, Number: 34, Article number : e74273, Pages count : DOI: 10.1002/slct.74273

Authors

Konorev Viacheslav ¹ , Agafontsev Aleksandr ^1,2 , Derevyashkin Sergey ^1,3 , Vasiliev Evgenij ¹ , Shelkovnikov Vladimir ¹ , Bayrash Aleksandr ¹ , Bukhtoyarova Aleksandra ¹ , Gurskaya Larisa ¹ , Shundrina Inna ¹ , Bagryanskaya Irina ¹

Affiliations

1	N. N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Novosibirsk Russia
2	Novosibirsk State University Novosibirsk Russia
3	Institute of Automation and Electrometry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Novosibirsk Russia

Funding (1)

Российский Научный Фонд

25-23-00154

Thiophene-containing nonionic iminosulfonate photoacid generators (PAGs) were synthesized and evaluated for application in chemically amplified positive photoresists. The compounds exhibit significant absorption in the near-UV region (405–436 nm) and sufficient thermal stability for lithographic processing. When incorporated into hydroxystyrene-based resists, they allowed fabrication of periodic microstructures via 405 nm interference lithography. Several derivatives demonstrated high photosensitivity requiring exposure doses below 1 mJ·cm−2, while the best-performing formulations yielded high-resolution microstructures with a minimum line edge roughness of 25 nm and a line width roughness of 38 nm. Overall, the results demonstrate that thiophene-based iminosulfonates combine efficient light absorption, robust thermal stability, and high pattern fidelity, making them promising nonionic PAGs for g-, h-, and i-line photolithography.

Konorev V. , Agafontsev A. , Derevyashkin S. , Vasiliev E. , Shelkovnikov V. , Bayrash A. , Bukhtoyarova A. , Gurskaya L. , Shundrina I. , Bagryanskaya I.
Nonionic Iminosulfonate Photoacid Generators for Photolithography: Synthesis, Properties, and Application in Positive Photoresists
ChemistrySelect. 2026. V.11. N34. e74273 . DOI: 10.1002/slct.74273 OpenAlex

Submitted:	Dec 4, 2025
Accepted:	Aug 5, 2026
Published online:	Sep 7, 2026

≡ OpenAlex:

W7211880177