A salt represented by formula (I), a resin comprising a structural unit derived from the salt represented by formula (I), a resit composition comprising the salt represented by formula (I) or a resin comprising a structural unit derived from the salt represented by formula (I).

##STR00001##

A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer and a quencher comprising a salt compound consisting of a cyclic ammonium cation and a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propoxide anion having a trifluoromethyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl or hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl group bonded thereto. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer and a quencher comprising a salt compound consisting of a cyclic ammonium cation and a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propoxide anion having a trifluoromethyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl or hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl group bonded thereto. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

A first object of the present invention is to provide an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition with which a pattern having a good shape can be obtained. Furthermore, a second object of the present invention is to provide a resist film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each relating to the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition. In addition, a third object of the present invention is to provide a compound which can be suitably used in the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition.

The actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition of an embodiment of the present invention includes a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, an acid-decomposable resin having a weight-average molecular weight of 30,000 or less, and a solvent, and the compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation includes a compound (I).

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 salt having formula (1) or (2) serving as an acid diffusion inhibitor is provided as well as a resist composition comprising the acid diffusion inhibitor. When processed by lithography, the resist composition exhibits a high sensitivity, and excellent lithography properties such as CDU and LWR.

##STR00001##

A salt having formula (1) or (2) serving as an acid diffusion inhibitor is provided as well as a resist composition comprising the acid diffusion inhibitor. When processed by lithography, the resist composition exhibits a high sensitivity, and excellent lithography properties such as CDU and LWR.

##STR00001##

Provided are an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing a resin (A), in which the resin (A) includes a repeating unit having an acidic group and a repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group, a content of the repeating unit having an acidic group is 15% by mole or more with respect to all the repeating units in the resin (A), a content of the repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group is more than 20% by mole with respect to all the repeating units in the resin (A), a glass transition temperature of the resin (A) is 145° C. or lower, and the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is used for formation of a film having a film thickness of 2 .Math.m or more; and a resist film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition.

Provided are an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing a resin (A), in which the resin (A) includes a repeating unit having an acidic group and a repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group, a content of the repeating unit having an acidic group is 15% by mole or more with respect to all the repeating units in the resin (A), a content of the repeating unit having an acid-decomposable group is more than 20% by mole with respect to all the repeating units in the resin (A), a glass transition temperature of the resin (A) is 145° C. or lower, and the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition is used for formation of a film having a film thickness of 2 .Math.m or more; and a resist film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition.

The present specification provides a compound, a photoresist composition comprising the same, a photoresist pattern comprising the same, and a method for preparing a photoresist pattern.