A family of water-soluble, negative-tone, high-resolution, chemically amplified photoresists
based on partially or fully deprotected poly(1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-O-methacryloyl-α-d-glucofuranose) is described. Both the molecular weight of the parent ketal-protected polymer and the extent of its
deprotection to a water-soluble polymer containing 3-O-methacryloyl-d-glucopyranose repeat units must
be carefully controlled to provide good coating and imaging properties. The two ketal protecting groups
of the poly(1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose) have different reactivity, and their complete
removal requires long reaction times under hydrolytic conditions. The detailed deprotection chemistry of
the polymer is readily understood through model studies with the fully and partially protected analogues
of the polymer pendant groups: 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose and 1,2-isopropylidene-α-d-glucopyranose. When combined with a water-soluble photochemical precursor of acid such as (4-methoxyphenyl)dimethylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate, films of the deprotected or partially
deprotected poly(1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-O-methacryloyl-α-d-glucofuranose) undergo acid-catalyzed
cross-linking. The enhanced performance of the partially deprotected polymers over that of poly(3-O-methacryloyl-d-glucopyranose) suggests that the presence of remaining hydrophobic groups that afford
water dispersibility rather than full solubility may be key to their performance. Imaged negative-tone
features as small as 0.2 μm are obtained with these materials that have sensitivities of ca. 30 mJ/cm2
with wholly aqueous casting and processing.