Provided is a polymer that when used as a main chain scission-type positive resist, can sufficiently inhibit resist pattern collapse, can favorably form a clear resist pattern, and can also improve sensitivity. The polymer includes a monomer unit (A) represented by general formula (I), shown below, and a monomer unit (B) represented by general formula (II), shown below. [In formula (I), R.sup.1 is an organic group including not fewer than 5 and not more than 7 fluorine atoms. In formula (II), R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, or a fluorine atom-substituted alkyl group, R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, or a fluorine atom-substituted alkyl group, p and q are each an integer of not less than 0 and not more than 5, and p+q=5.] ##STR00001##

A positive resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer end-capped with a sulfonium salt containing a carboxylate anion having a sulfide group linked thereto. Because of controlled acid diffusion, a resist film of the composition forms a pattern of good profile with a high resolution and reduced edge roughness or dimensional variation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a solution which contains an organic solvent as a main component (content: equal to or greater than 98% by mass) and has an excellent defect inhibition ability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a solution storage body storing the solution, an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing the solution, and a pattern forming method and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device using the solution.

The solution of the present invention is a solution containing at least one kind of organic solvent having a boiling point lower than 200° C. and an organic impurity having a boiling point equal to or higher than 250° C., in which a content of the organic solvent with respect to a total mass of the solution is equal to or greater than 98% by mass, and a content of the organic impurity with respect to the total mass of the solution is equal to or greater than 0.1 mass ppm and less than 100 mass ppm.

A radiation-sensitive composition includes a polymer including first and second structural units, a first compound that generates a first acid upon irradiation with radioactive ray, and a second compound that generates a second acid upon irradiation with radioactive ray. The first structural unit includes an acid-labile group, the first acid does not substantially dissociate the acid-labile group under 110° C. and a period of 1 min, the second acid dissociates the acid-labile group under 110° C. and a period of 1 min, and the second structural unit includes a monovalent group of formula (X),

##STR00001##

where Ar.sup.1 is a group obtained by removing (a+b) hydrogen atoms from an unsubstituted aryl group, R.sup.XA is a monovalent iodine atom, an iodinated alkyl group or an iodinated alkoxy group, R.sup.XB is a monovalent organic group, a is an integer of 1 to 10, and b is an integer of 1 to 10.

A resist composition containing a resin component having a structural unit represented by general formula (a0-1), and a compound represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (a0-1), R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group, Va.sup.1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, n.sub.a1 represents an integer of 0 to 2, Ya.sup.0 is a carbon atom, Xa.sup.0 is a group forming a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group together with Ya.sup.0, and Ra.sup.00 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a specific unsaturated hydrocarbon group. In general formula (b1), R.sup.b1 represents a cyclic hydrocarbon group, Y.sup.b1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond, V.sup.b1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond, and M.sup.m+ is an m-valent organic cation.

##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium or iodonium salt of iodized benzoyloxy-containing fluorinated sulfonic acid offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

A resist composition which generates an acid upon exposure and changes a solubility in a developing solution under an action of the acid, the resist composition containing a base material component whose solubility in the developing solution changes under the action of an acid and an acid generator represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (b-1), R.sup.b1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having at least one alkyl group having 3 or more carbon atoms as a substituent, Y.sup.b1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond (—C(═O)—O— or —O—C(═O)—), V.sup.b1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond, m is an integer of 1 or more, and M.sup.m+ represents an m-valent organic cation.

R.sup.b1—Y.sup.b1—V.sup.b1—CF.sub.2—SO.sub.3.sup.−(M.sup.m+).sub.1/m  (b1)

A nanoimprint lithography method includes disposing a pretreatment composition including a polymerizable component on a substrate to form a pretreatment coating. Discrete imprint resist portions are disposed on the pretreatment coating, with each discrete portion of the imprint resist covering a target area of the substrate. The imprint resist is a polymerizable composition and includes a fluorinated photoinitiator. A composite polymerizable coating is formed on the substrate as each discrete portion of the imprint resist spreads beyond its target area. The composite polymerizable coating includes a mixture of the pretreatment composition and the imprint resist. The composite polymerizable coating is contacted with a template, and is polymerized to yield a composite polymeric layer on the substrate. The interfacial surface energy between the pretreatment composition and air exceeds the interfacial surface energy between the imprint resist and air or between at least a component of the imprint resist and air.

A resist composition containing a resin component having a structural unit represented by general formula (a0-1), and a compound represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (a0-1), R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group. Va.sup.1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group. n.sub.a1 represents an integer of 0 to 2. Ra′.sup.12 and Ra′.sup.13 are a monovalent chain saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a hydrogen atom. Ra′.sup.14 is a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or an anthryl group. In general formula (b1), R.sup.b1 represents a cyclic hydrocarbon group. Y.sup.b1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond. V.sup.b1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond. m is an integer of 1 or more, and M.sup.m+ is an m-valent organic cation.

##STR00001##

A photoacid generating polymer (PAG polymer) comprises i) a first repeat unit of capable of reacting with a photogenerated acid to form a carboxylic acid containing repeat unit, ii) a second repeat unit of capable of forming the photogenerated acid, and iii) a third repeat unit comprising a norbornyl ester, wherein a norbornyl ring of the norbornyl ester comprises a monovalent substituent having the formula *-L′-C(CF.sub.3).sub.2(OH). L′ is a divalent linking group comprising at least one carbon and the starred bond of L′ is linked to the norbornyl ring. The first repeat unit, second repeat unit, and the third repeat unit are covalently bound repeat units of the PAG polymer.