A negative-type photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) based on semialicyclic poly(amic acid) (PAA), poly(trans-1,4-cyclohexylenediphenylene amic acid), and {[(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl)oxy]carbonyl} 2,6-dimethylpiperidine (DNCDP) as a photobase generator has been developed as a next-generation buffer coat material. The semialicyclic PAA was synthesized from 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and trans-1,4-cyclohexyldiamine in the presence of acetic acid, and the PAA polymerization solution was directly used for PSPI formulation. This PSPI, consisting of PAA (80 wt %) and DNCDP (20 wt %), showed high sensitivity of 70 mJ/cm(2) and high contrast of 10.3, when it was exposed to a 365-nm line (i-line), postexposure baked at 190 degrees C for 5 min, and developed with 2.38 wt % tetramethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solution containing 20 wt % isopropanol at 25 degrees C. A clear negative image of 6-mu m line and space pattern was printed on a film, which was exposed to 500 mJ/cm(2) of i-line by a contact printing mode and fully converted to poly(trans-1,4-cyclohexylenebiphenylene imide) pattern upon heating at 250 degrees C for 1 h. The PSPI film had a low coefficient of thermal expansion of 16 ppm/K compared to typical PIS, such as prepared from 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and 4,4'-oxydianiline. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48:1317-1323,2010