A new class of photoresist matrix polymers based on vinyl ether-malefic anhydride (VEMA) alternating copolymers was developed for ArF single-layer lithography. These polymers were synthesized by copolymerization of alkyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride alternating copolymers with acrylate derivatives containing bulky alicyclic acid-labile protecting groups. The resulting polymers showed good control of polymerization and high transmittance. Also, these resists exhibited good adhesion to the substrate, high dry-etching resistance against CF4 mixture gas (1.02 times the etching rate of deep UV resist), and high selectivity to silicon oxide etching. Using an ArF excimer laser exposure system with 0.6 NA, 120-nm L/S patterns were resolved under conventional illumination. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.