Copolymers prepared by radical polymerization of a fluorine-containing aromatic monomer and an acrylate-based comonomer that may or may not be fluorinated. The polymers are useful in lithographic photoresist compositions, particularly chemical amplification resists. In a preferred embodiment, the polymers are substantially transparent to deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation, i.e., radiation of a wavelength less than 250 nm, including 157 nm and 248 nm radiation, and are thus useful in DUV lithographic photoresist compositions. A method for using the composition to generate resist images on a substrate is also provided, i.e., in the manufacture of integrated circuits or the like.