A
polymer comprises an
acetal-containing
monomer unit having the general structure I and at least one of the
fluorine-containing
monomer units having the general structures II and III:wherein R<1>, R<4>, R<5 >and R<6 >are each independently H, lower
alkyl, CH2CO2R<10>, cyano, CH2CN, or
halogen, wherein R<10 >is any
alkyl, cycloalkyl,
aryl, arylalkyl, alkylenecycloalkyl, silyl or siloxy or linear or cyclic polysiloxane group; R<2 >is CHR<11>R<12 >where R<11 >and R<12 >are each independently H, lower
alkyl, cycloalkyl or
aryl; A is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene, cycloalkylene, alkylenecycloalkylene, or alkylenearylene; and R<3 >is linear, branched or cyclic fluoroalkyl group or SiR<13>R<14>R<15 >where R<13>, R<14>, and R<15 >are each independently alkyl, cycloalkyl,
aryl, arylalkyl, alkylenecycloalkyl, silyl, siloxy, linear or cyclic polysiloxane or
silsesquioxane alkyl group; B is an aryl, C(=O)-O-(CH2)x where x=0-4, lower alkyl, cycloalkyl,
alkene cycloalkyl, silyl, siloxyl, or linear or cyclic polysiloxane group. R<7 >is H or an
acid sensitive group; R<8 >and R<9 >are each independently H or -
CN group; and y=0-4 and the use of these polymers in
radiation sensitive compositions for
exposure to actinic
radiation, especially
radiation of 157 nm.