A photolithographic hole transport material of 4,4',4 ''-tris(acetoxymethylene)triphenylamine (1), polyvinylcarbazole (PVK), and diphenyliodonium 9,10-dimethoxyanthracene-2-sulfonate (DIAS, a photoacid generator) has been successfully formulated. After exposure to UV irradiation (lambda > 200 nm) through a patterned UV (lambda > 200 nm) photomask for 6 min, followed by a standard postbaking treatment at 130 degrees C for 5 min under vacuum and development in CH(2)Cl(2), a negative tone image was established through the photoinduced chemical cross-linking reactions. This approach can be implemented to PLED applications. Under the optimized conditions, the polymeric light-emitting device (PLED) of ITO/photolithographic HTL/PVK-Ir(PPy)(3)-PBD/Mg-Ag, with a turn-on voltage of 13.0 V (100 cd/m(2)), a maximum brightness of 822,0 cd/m(2), and a current efficiency of 9.0 cd/A was achieved. Our study reviewed that three parallel mechanisms, including the photodimerization of the carbazole units, the Crivello onium salt sensitization mechanism, and the photoacid catalyzed Friedel Crafts type electrophilic aromatic substitutions are involved in the photocross-linking process.