A positive resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having both an acyl or alkoxycarbonyl group and an acid labile group-substituted hydroxyl group exhibits a high contrast of alkaline dissolution rate before and after exposure, a high resolution, a good pattern profile and minimal edge roughness.

The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention contains a resin (P) including a repeating unit (i) having a group which decomposes by the action of an acid represented by the following General Formula (1), a pattern forming method using the composition, a method for manufacturing an electronic device, and an electronic device. ##STR00001##

The resist composition according to the present invention is a resist composition comprising a solid component comprising a resist base material, and a solvent. In the resist composition according to the present invention, the resist composition contains 1 to 80% by mass of the solid component and 20 to 99% by mass of the solvent, the resist base material comprises a compound (ctt form) represented by a predetermined formula (1) and a compound represented by a predetermined formula (3), the proportion of the compound (ctt form) represented by the predetermined formula (1) to the resist base material is from 65 to 99% by mass, and the mass ratio of the compound represented by the predetermined formula (3) to the compound (ctt form) represented by the predetermined formula (1) is from 0.01 to 0.53.

A composition for resist underlayer film formation contains: a compound having a partial structure represented by the following formula (1); and a solvent. In the formula (1): X represents a group represented by formula (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv). In the formula (i): R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms provided that at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represents the substituted or unsubstituted monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or the substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms; or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 taken together represent a part of a ring structure having 3 to 20 ring atoms together with the carbon atom to which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 bond. ##STR00001##

Provided are an active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition in which the sensitivity is excellent, and an active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each using the active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition. The active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition contains a resin (Ab) whose polarity is changed by the action of an acid, and a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with active light or radiation, in which the resin (Ab) includes a metal ion, and the metal type of the metal ion is at least one of metal types belonging to Groups 1 to 10 and 13 to 16 (here, excluding Mg and Cs).

In microelectronic applications, it is often desired to deposit and pattern a permanent dielectric film in order to electrically and mechanically isolate components. Photo-patternable dielectrics are attractive for these uses because of their reduced time and cost requirements. These permanent dielectrics should be high-speed, positive-tone, and aqueous-developable. This type of patternability may be achieved by using a chemically amplified deprotection reaction of tert-butoxycarbonate or tert-butyl acrylate catalyzed by a photo-inducible acid. Provided herein are: a composition for preparing a dielectric film comprising a polymer mixture, wherein the polymer mixture comprises a base polymer comprising a pendent protected organic functionality, a photocatalyst for deprotecting the protected organic functionality and a chemical cross-linker for cross-linking the dielectric film after a photo-patterning has taken place in an aqueous solution; a dielectric film prepared from said composition; and method of preparing a dielectric film.

A chemically amplified positive resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer which contains a polymer comprising an acid generating unit, a phenolic hydroxy group-containing unit, a unit containing a phenolic hydroxy group protected with an acid labile group, and a unit containing a carboxy group protected with an acid labile group. A resist pattern with a high resolution, reduced LER, improved rectangularity, and minimized influence of develop loading can be formed.

A chemically amplified positive resist composition is provided comprising (A) a sulfurane or selenurane compound having formula (A1) wherein M is sulfur or Selenium and (B) a base polymer containing a polymer comprising repeat units having formula (B1). The resist composition exhibits a high resolution during pattern formation and forms a pattern with improved LER and CDU.

##STR00001##

A photoresist composition includes a radiation-sensitive acid generator, particles, and a first solvent. The radiation-sensitive acid generator is capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with a radioactive ray, an action of the acid allowing a solubility of a film made from the photoresist composition in a developer solution to be altered. The particles include a metal element and have a hydrodynamic radius as determined by a dynamic light scattering analysis of no greater than 20 nm. The photoresist composition may include an acid-labile compound including an acid-labile group. The radiation-sensitive acid generator may be the acid-labile compound including a group that is capable of generating an acid upon exposure to a radioactive ray.

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##