The present invention relates to: a method of producing a structure having a recessed pattern; a resin composition; a method of forming an electroconductive film; an electronic circuit; and an electronic device. The method of producing a structure having a recessed pattern includes the following steps (i) and (ii), and the recessed pattern has a film thickness that is thinner by 5% to less than 90% with respect to that of a coating film obtained in the step (i): (i) the step of forming a coating film on a non-flat surface of a structure using a resin composition which includes an acid-dissociable group-containing polymer and an acid generator; and (ii) the step of forming a recess by subjecting a prescribed part of a portion of the coating film to irradiation with radiation.

A novel sulfonium salt having high sensitivity with respect to active energy rays, a photoacid generator including the sulfonium salt, and a photosensitive composition containing the photoacid generator. The sulfonium salt is represented by formula (a1). In the formula, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent the group that is represented by formula (a2) or an alkyl group that may be substituted by a halogen atom, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are bonded to each other and may form a ring with the sulfur atom within the formula, R.sup.3 is the group represented by formula (a3) or the group represented by formula (a4), A.sup.1 represents S or the like, X.sup.− represents a monovalent anion, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are not both an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom. In formulas (a2) to (a4), the ring Z.sup.1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.9, and R.sup.10 each represents a specific monovalent group, R.sup.5, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 each represents a specific divalent group, A.sup.2 and A.sup.3 each represents S or the like, m1 represents an integer of 0 or more, and n1 and n2 each represent 0 or more.

##STR00001##

A coating composition which contains a fluorinated polymer having a unit (1) represented by —[CX.sup.1X.sup.2—CY.sup.1(Rf.sup.1—COOM.sup.1)]— and a fluorinated compound represented by CX.sup.3X.sup.4═CY.sup.2(Rf.sup.2—COOM.sup.2), wherein the content of the fluorinated compound is from 0.1 to 8.0 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the fluorinated polymer. X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.3 and X.sup.4 are H, F or Cl, Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 are H, F, Cl, a methyl group or a trifluoromethyl group, Rf.sup.1 and Rf.sup.2 are a perfluoroalkylene group which may contain an etheric oxygen atom between carbon-carbon atoms, or an oxyperfluoroalkylene group which may contain an etheric oxygen atom between carbon-carbon atoms, —COOM.sup.1 is —COOH or —COOZ.sup.1, and —COOM.sup.2 is —COOH or —COOZ.sup.2 (wherein Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are an ammonium ion in which the hydrogen atom may be substituted). The coating composition is suitable for forming a thin antireflection coating layer without increasing its refractive index.

The present application relates to a block copolymer and its use. The present application can provides a block copolymer that has an excellent self assembling property or phase separation property and therefore can be used in various applications and its use.

The present application relates to a block copolymer and uses thereof. The present application can provide a block copolymer—which exhibits an excellent self-assembling property and thus can be used effectively in a variety of applications—and uses thereof.

A radiation-sensitive resin composition containing an alicyclic olefin polymer which has an acidic group (A), a sulfonium salt-based photoacid generator (B) which is represented by the following general formula (1), and a cross-linking agent (C) is provided. ##STR00001## (In the above general formula (1), R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 respectively independently are a C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 aryl group, C.sub.4 to C.sub.30 heterocyclic group, C.sub.1 to C.sub.30 alkyl group, C.sub.2 to C.sub.30 alkenyl group, or C.sub.2 to C.sub.30 alkynyl group, the groups being optionally substituted, and “a” is an integer of 1 to 5.)

A resin composition which is configured such that if the resin composition is formed into a resin composition film that has a thickness of 3.0 μm after a heat treatment at a temperature within the range of 200-350° C., the resin composition film forms a heat-resistant resin film that has a light transmittance of 50% or more at a wavelength of 365-436 nm before the heat treatment, while having a light transmittance of 10% or less at a wavelength of 365-436 nm after the heat treatment. Provided is a resin composition having a function of absorbing ultraviolet light and visible light in a short wavelength range, which is suitable for the formation of a planarization film, an insulating layer and a partition wall that are used for organic light emitting devices or display devices.

The resist composition of the present invention contains one or more selected from compounds represented by specific formulae and resins obtained using these as monomers.

The present invention provides a tetracarboxylic acid diester compound shown by the following general formula (1),

##STR00001##

wherein X.sub.1 represents a tetravalent organic group; and R.sub.1 represents a group shown by the following general formula (2),

##STR00002##

wherein the dotted line represents a bond; Y.sub.1 represents an organic group with a valency of k+1; “k” represents 1 or 2; and “n” represents 0 or 1. There can be provided a tetracarboxylic acid diester compound that can give a polyimide precursor polymer soluble in a safe organic solvent widely used as a solvent of a composition and usable as a base resin of a photosensitive resin composition.

A monomer having an onium salt structure represented by formula (1) gives a polymer which is fully compatible with resist components. A resist composition comprising the polymer has advantages including reduced acid diffusion, high sensitivity, high resolution, a good balance of lithography properties, and less defects, and is quite effective for precise micropatterning.

##STR00001##