The microlithographic process, essential in the fabrication of microdevices, uses high-energy radiation to transfer a pattern onto a thin film of polymer resist. Pattern transfer occurs by modifying the properties (solubility or volatility) of the polymer film exposed to radiation. Poly(olefin sulfones) exhibit a high sensitivity to x-rays, which is a desirable property for polymer resists used in the microlithographic process. The potential utility of these new resins prompted a study of the mechanism of degradation promoted by x- ray radiation. In this study, the effect of x-ray radiation...