A positive high photo-speed top surface imaging (TSI) process for 193-nm lithography has been achieved by incorporation a chemically amplified resist consisting of photo-acid generator (PAG), cross-linker, and base polymer in the process. We found that we have to use both a chemically amplified resist with a PAG which generates acids having higher molecular weights, and a base polymer having a higher molecular weight. The photo-speed strongly depends on the post exposure bake (PEB) temperature. A required photo-speed of <5.0mJ/cm2 was obtained with PEB at 130°C under this process. We were unable to observe the trade-off between line edge roughness (LER) and photo-speed. The process achieves a resolution of 0.12μmL/S without the use of any resolution enhanced technique (RET), and 0.09μmL/S when an alternative phase shifting mask is used The process margin has a depth of focus of 0.5μm for 0.12μmL/S without RET and 0.7μm for 0.09 μmL/S with the alternative phase shifting mask. Sub-0.10-μm patterns were produced by using this TSI process for 193-nm lithography.