resist polymer

Polymeric material that, when irradiated, undergoes a marked change in solubility in a given solvent or is ablated.
Notes:
  1. A resist polymer under irradiation either forms patterns directly or undergoes chemical reactions leading to pattern formation after subsequent processing.
  2. A resist material that is optimized for use with ultraviolet or visible light, an electron beam, an ion beam, or X-rays is called a photoresist, electron-beam resist, ion-beam resist, or X-ray resist, respectively.
  3. In a positive-tone resist, also called a positive resist, the material in the irradiated area not covered by a mask is removed, which results in an image with a pattern identical with that on the mask. In a negative-tone resist, also called a negative resist, the non-irradiated area is subsequently removed, which results in an image with a pattern that is the complement of that on the mask.
Source:
PAC, 2004, 76, 889 (Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003)) on page 903