Non-ionic photo-acid generating (PAG) polymerizable monomers were prepared that contain a side chain sulfonate ester of an alpha-hydroxy aryl ketone. The aryl ketone group has a perfluorinated substituent alpha to the ketone carbonyl. The sulfur of the sulfonate ester is also directly linked to a fluorinated group. PAG polymers prepared from the PAG monomers release a strong sulfonic acid when exposed to high energy radiation such as deep UV or extreme UV light. The photo-generated sulfonic acid has a low diffusion rate in an exposed resist layer subjected to a post-exposure bake (PEB) at 100° C. to 150° C., resulting in formation of good line patterns after development.