Processes and apparatuses using polycyclic fluoroalkanes that are highly transparent to UV wavelengths ranging from about 190 nm to 260 nm are provided. The polycylic fluoroalkanes are useful in a wide variety of applications, including optical couplants, optical cements, optical elements, optical inspection media for semiconductor wafers and devices, and immersion photolithography, particularly at 193 and 248 nm exposure wavelength.