A resist material and methods for forming a semiconductor structure including using the resist material are provided. The method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a resist layer over a substrate and exposing a portion of the resist layer to form an exposed portion of the resist layer by performing an exposure process. The method for forming a semiconductor structure further includes developing the resist layer in a developer. In addition, the resist layer is made of a resist material including a photosensitive polymer and a contrast promoter, and a protected functional group of the photosensitive polymer is deprotected to form a deprotected functional group during the exposure process, and a functional group of the contrast promoter bonds to the deprotected functional group of the photosensitive polymer.