A highly hydroxylated 6-tin oxide cluster serves as an efficient e-beam and EUV-photoresist to achieve high-resolution patterns

-selectivity contrast of approximately 1.53, which is significantly higher than the 0.73 observed for the model tin carboxylate cluster (1'). Mechanistic studies by both FTIR and HRXPS revealed that the extent of Sn-butyl loss is less significant than that of Sn-OH loss. The photolytic aggregation of cluster (2) predominantly involves the dehydration of two Sn-OH groups. Additionally, FTIR identified a surface reaction between SiOH and Sn-OH, forming new Sn-O-Si absorption peaks.