Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) which exhibits increased alkali solubility under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the resin component (A) including a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester having a tertiary alkyl ester-type acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group containing an aliphatic monocyclic group and/or an aliphatic branched, tertiary alkyl ester-type acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, and the acid-generator component (B) including an acid generator (B1) having a cation moiety represented by general formula (b?-1) shown below: wherein each of R1 and R2 independently represents a naphthyl group which may have a substituent; and R3 represents an alkyl group or an aryl group exclusive of a naphthyl group.

Abstract: A resist composition including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid, a nitrogen-containing organic compound (C) containing a compound (C1) represented by general formula (c1) shown below and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure (excluding the compound (C1)) (R1 represents an alicyclic group of 5 or more carbon atoms which may have a substituent; X represents a divalent linking group; Y represents a linear, branched or cyclic alkylene group or an arylene group; Rf represents a hydrocarbon group containing a fluorine atom; and M+ represents an organic cation).

Abstract: A compound represented by general formula (c1) (R1 represents an alicyclic group of 5 or more carbon atoms which may have a substituent; X represents a divalent linking group; Y represents a linear, branched or cyclic alkylene group or an arylene group; Rf represents a hydrocarbon group containing a fluorine atom; and M+ represents an organic cation or a metal cation).

Abstract: A resist composition for immersion exposure including: a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in an alkali developing solution under the action of acid; an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure; and a fluorine-containing resin component (F); dissolved in an organic solvent (S), the fluorine-containing resin component (F) including a structural unit (f1) containing a fluorine atom, a structural unit (f2) containing a hydrophilic group-containing aliphatic hydrocarbon group, and a structural unit (f3) derived from an acrylate ester containing a tertiary alkyl group-containing group or an alkoxyalkyl group.

Abstract: The resist polymer of the present invention comprises a specific constitutional unit having a cyano group, a constitutional unit having an acid-dissociable group, and a specific constitutional unit having a lactone skeleton. When the above polymer is used as a resist resin in DUV excimer laser lithography or electron beam lithography, it exhibits high sensitivity and high resolution, and provides a good resist pattern shape, having a small degree of occurrence of line edge roughness or generation of microgels.

Abstract: A positive resist composition that includes a resin component (A) that exhibits increased alkali solubility under action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid on exposure, wherein the component (A) is a copolymer (A1) that includes a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate that contains an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, a structural unit (a2) derived from an ?-lower alkyl acrylate that contains a lactone ring, and a structural unit (a3) derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate that contains a polar group-containing polycyclic group.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A1) having a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester which may have an atom other than hydrogen or a group bonded to the carbon atom on the ? position and containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, and a structural unit (a0) containing an —SO2— containing cyclic group; a compound (C1) represented by general formula (c1) shown below; and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms or a halogenated alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; Y1 represents a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group; R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or a fluorinated alkyl group; p represents an integer of 1 to 10; and A+ represents an organic cation.

Abstract: The resist polymer of the present invention comprises a specific constitutional unit having a cyano group, a constitutional unit having an acid-dissociable group, and a specific constitutional unit having a lactone skeleton. When the above polymer is used as a resist resin in DUV excimer laser lithography or electron beam lithography, it exhibits high sensitivity and high resolution, and provides a good resist pattern shape, having a small degree of occurrence of line edge roughness or generation of microgels.

Abstract: There are provided a method of forming a resist pattern in which a resist pattern is formed on top of a substrate by using a chemically amplified resist composition and conducting patterning two or more times, the method being capable of reducing the extent of damage, caused by the second patterning, imposed upon the first resist pattern that is formed by the first patterning; as well as a resist composition that is useful for forming the first resist pattern in this method of forming a resist pattern. The method includes forming of a first resist pattern using a resist composition containing a thermal base generator as a chemically amplified resist composition during first patterning, and then conducting a hard bake for baking the first resist pattern under a bake condition such that a base is generated from the thermal base generator, prior to the second patterning.

Abstract: Provided are a positive resist composition and a resist pattern forming method having fewer defects and superior lithographic characteristics. The positive resist composition includes a resin component (A) which has on a main chain a structural unit derived from an (?-lower alkyl)acrylate ester and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of an acid, and an acid generating component (B) which generates the acid upon irradiation with radiation, in which the resin component (A) is a copolymer having at least two structural units which is obtained by incorporating an acid when polymerizing at least one monomer for the production thereof.

Abstract: A positive resist composition used to form a second resist film in a method of forming a positive resist pattern, including: applying a positive resist composition on the substrate on which a first resist pattern formed of a first resist film is formed to form a second resist film; and selectively exposing the second resist film and alkali-developing the second resist film to form a resist pattern; wherein the positive resist composition includes a resin component (A) having a structural unit (a0-1) represented by general formula (a0-1) and a structural unit (a0-2) represented by general formula (a0-2), which exhibits increased solubility in an alkali developing solution under action of acid, an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, and an organic solvent (S) which does not dissolve the first resist film, and the resin component (A) and the acid-generator component (B) are dissolved in the organic solvent (S).

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) which exhibits increased alkali solubility under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the resin component (A) including: a polymer (A1) including a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a0) shown below and no structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acetal-type acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, exclusive of the structural unit (a0), and a polymer (A2) including the structural unit (a1) and no structural unit (a0).

Abstract: A resist composition including a base resin component (A) and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the component (A) including a resin (A1) which has a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a-0) shown below: wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a halogenated lower alkyl group; a represents an integer of 0 to 2; b represents an integer of 1 to 3; c represents an integer of 1 to 2; and a+b is an integer of 2 or more.

Abstract: A resist composition including: a base component which exhibits changed solubility in an alkali developing solution under the action of acid; and an acid-generator component containing an acid generator (B1) consisting of a compound represented by general formula (b1); dissolved in an organic solvent containing an alcohol-based organic solvent having a boiling point of at least 150° C., wherein R7? to R9? represents an aryl group or an alkyl group, provided that at least one of R7? to R9? represents a substituted aryl group which has been substituted with a group represented by the formula: —O—R70 (R70 represents an organic group), and two of R7? to R9? may be mutually bonded to form a ring with the sulfur atom; X represents a hydrocarbon group of 3 to 30 carbon atoms; Q1 represents a divalent linking group containing an oxygen atom; and Y1 represents an alkylene group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a fluorinated alkylene group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) and an acid generator component (B), the resin component (A) including a copolymer (A1) having a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester having a monocyclic or polycyclic group-containing acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, a structural unit (a2) derived from an acrylate ester having a lactone-containing cyclic group, a structural unit (a3) derived from an acrylate ester having a hydroxyl group and/or cyano group-containing polycyclic group, and a structural unit (a4) represented by general formula (a4-1) shown below: wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a halogenated lower alkyl group; R? represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or an alkoxy group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and f represents 0 or 1.

Abstract: A resin for photoresist compositions is disclosed with excellent resolution and line edge roughness characteristics. A photoresist composition and a method for forming a resist pattern using such a resin are also disclosed. The resin has a hydroxyl group bonded to a carbon atom at a polymer terminal, and the carbon atom in the ?-position to the hydroxyl group has at least one electron attractive group.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) which exhibits increased alkali solubility under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the resin component (A) including: a polymer (A1) including a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a0) shown below and no structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acetal-type acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, exclusive of the structural unit (a0), and a polymer (A2) including the structural unit (a1) and no structural unit (a0).

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) which exhibits increased alkali solubility under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the resin component (A) including a structural unit (a0-1) represented by general formula (a0-1) shown below and a structural unit (a0-2) represented by general formula (a0-2) shown below: wherein: R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a halogenated lower alkyl group; each of Y1 and Y3 independently represents an aliphatic cyclic group; Z represents a tertiary alkyl group-containing group or an alkoxyalkyl group; a represents an integer of 1 to 3, and b represents an integer of 0 to 2, such that a+b=1 to 3; each of c, d and e independently represents an integer of 0 to 3; each of g and h independently represents an integer of 0 to 3; and i represents an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: A positive resist composition including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in an alkali developing solution under the action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure dissolved in an organic solvent (S), the base component (A) containing a polymeric compound (A1) including a structural unit (a0) derived from an acrylate ester having a cyclic group containing a sulfonyl group on the side chain thereof, a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group and a structural unit (a5) represented by general formula (a5-1) (Y1 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group; Z represents a monovalent organic group; a represents an integer of 1 to 3, and b represents an integer of 0 to 2, provided that a+b=1 to 3).

Abstract: A method for producing a resist composition including a resin component (A) that exhibits changed alkali solubility under the action of acid and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid upon exposure, the method including the steps of: obtaining the component (A) by mixing a plurality of copolymers, which are composed of the same structural units but have mutually different measured values for the contact angle.