An onium salt containing a sulfonic acid anion having a substituted fused ring structure and an aromatic sulfonic acid structure is provided. A chemically amplified resist composition comprising the onium salt has satisfactory solvent solubility, high sensitivity, and high contrast, and forms a resist film with improved lithography properties such as EL and LWR.

An onium salt containing a sulfonic acid anion having a substituted fused ring structure and an aromatic sulfonic acid structure is provided. A chemically amplified resist composition comprising the onium salt has satisfactory solvent solubility, high sensitivity, and high contrast, and forms a resist film with improved lithography properties such as EL and LWR.