A radiation-sensitive patterning composition comprising: (1) at least one acid generating compound selected from the group of compounds of formulae (I) or (II): 1 wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6, are individually selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, nitro group, hydroxyl group, a carbonyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group and an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl group; an unsubstituted or substituted alkoxy group, or an unsubstituted or substituted aryl group; wherein Xnull represents an onium ion selected from the group consisting of diazonium, iodonium, sulfonium, phosphonium, bromonium, chloronium, oxysulfoxonium, oxysulfonium, sulfoxonium, selenium, tellurium and arsenium; and wherein n is an integer from 4 to 100; (2) at least one cross-linking agent cross-linkable by an acid; (3) at least one polymer compound capable of reacting with the cross-linking agent; and (4) at least one infrared absorbing compound.