The present invention discloses a composition suitable for use as a top antireflective coating and barrier layer for 193 nm lithography. The inventive composition is soluble in aqueous base solutions and has low refractive index at 193 nm. The inventive composition comprises an aqueous base-soluble polymer having a backbone and a fluorinated half ester moiety. The fluorinated half ester moiety is pendant from the backbone. The present invention also discloses a method of forming a patterned layer on a substrate by using the inventive composition in lithography.
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