Positive-working resist composition

1. A positive-working resist composition comprising (A1) a resin containing a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (I) and at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of repeating units represented by the following general formulae (III) and (IV), wherein the resin increases the solubility in an alkali developing solution by the action of an acid:

wherein R (I)-1 to R (I)-3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted; L 1 represents a divalent connecting group; and Z represents an acid-decomposable group;

wherein R (III)-1 to R (III)-3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least two of R (III)-1 to R (III)-3 are a fluorine atom; and R (III)-4 represents an alkyl group which may be substituted; and

wherein R (IV)-1 to R (IV)-4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least two of R (IV)-1 to R (IV)-4 are a fluorine atom.

2. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein the acid-decomposable group Z is selected from the group consisting of —CO(R 11a )(R 12a )(R 13a ), —CO(R 14a )(R 15a )(OR 16a ), —O—CO—O(R 11a )(R 12a ) (R 13a ), —CO—OC(R 11a )(R 12a )(R 13a ) and —CO—OC(R 14a )(R 15a )(OR 16a ), wherein R 11a to R 13a each independently represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted; R 14a and R 15a each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted; R 16a represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted; and two of R 11a , R 12a and R 13a or two of R 14a , R 15a , and R 16a may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

3. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein the resin (A1) further comprises at least one of repeating units represented by the following general formulae (IIa) and (IIb):

wherein R (II)-1 to R (lI)-3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted; L, L 2 and L 3 each independently represents a single bond or divalent connecting group; and V a , V 1a and V 2a each independently represents an acid-decomposable group or an acid-nondecomposable organic group.

4. The positive-working resist composition according to claims 3 , wherein V a in the general formula (IIa) or at least one of V 1a and V 2a in the general formula (IIb) is an acid-decomposable group.

5. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 4 , wherein the acid-decomposable group is selected from the group consisting of —CO(R 11a )(R 12a )(R 13a ), —CO(R 14a )(R 15a )(OR 16a ), —O—CO—O(R 11a )(R 12a ) (R 13a ), —CO—OC(R 11a )(R 12a )(R 13a ) and —CO—OC(R 14a )(R 15a )(OR 16a ), wherein R 11a to R 13a each independently represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted; R 14a and R 15a each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted; R 16a represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which maybe substituted; and two of R 11a , R 12a and R 13a or two of R 14 a, R 15a and R 16a maybe bonded to each other to form a ring.

6. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 3 , wherein the repeating units represented by the general formulae (IIa) and (IIb) are represented by the following general formulae (IIa1) and (Ilb1), respectively:

wherein R (II)-1 to R (II)-3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted; R 18 represents —OC(R 11a )(R 12a )(R 13a ) or —OC(R 14a )(R 15a )(OR 16a ), wherein R 11a to R 13a each independently represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted; R 14a and R 15a each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted; R 16a represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl group which may be substituted, an aralkyl group which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted; and two of R 11a , R 12a and R 13a or two of R 14a , R 15a and R 16a may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and Y represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may be substituted or R 18 .

7. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 3 or 6 , wherein at least one of R (I)-1 to R (I)-3 in the repeating unit represented by the general formula (IIa) or (IIa1) and at least one of R (I)-1 and R (I)-3 in the repeating unit represented by the general formula (Ilb) or (IIb1) contain a fluorine atom.

8. A positive-working resist composition comprising:

(A1) a resin containing a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (I) and at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of repeating units represented by the following general formulae (III) and (IV), wherein the resin increases the solubility in an alkali developing solution by the action of an acid, and

(B) a compound capable of generating an acid by the action with one of an actinic ray and a radiation:

wherein R (I)-1 to R (I)-3 each independently represents ahydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted; L 1 represents a divalent connecting group; and Z represents an acid-decomposable group;

wherein R (III)-1 to R (III)-3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom. a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least two of R (III)-1 to R (III)-3 are a fluorine atom; and R (III)-4 represents an alkyl group which may be substituted; and

 wherein R (IV)-1 to R (IV)-4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least two of R (IV)-1 to R (IV)-4 are a fluorine atom.

9. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 8 , further comprising (A2) a resin increasing the solubility in an alkali developing solution by the action of an acid other than the resin (A1).

10. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 9 , wherein the resin (A2) contains at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of those represented by the following general formulae (I′) to (VI′):

wherein R 1 and R 2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or a trifluoromethyl group; X represents a group capable of decomposing by the action of an acid; R 3 ′ and R 4 ′ each represents a group capable of decomposing by the action of an acid; R 11 to R 16 , R 21 to R 32 , R 41 to R 46 and R 51 to R 56 each represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least one of R 11 to R 16 , at least one of R 21 to R 32 , at least one of R 41 to R 46 or at least one of R 51 to R 56 is a fluorine atom; and n represents an integer of from 1 to 5.

11. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 9 , wherein the resin (A2) contains at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of those represented by the following general formulae (I″) to (VI″):

wherein R 1 and R 2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group or a trifluoromethyl group; R 3 and R 4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may be substituted, an aryl group which may be substituted or an aralkyl group which may be substituted in which the alkyl group and the aralkyl group each may have —O—, —S—, —CO 2 —, —CO—, —SO 2 —or —SO—in the middle portion thereof; R 11 to R 16 , R 21 to R 32 , R 41 to R 46 and R 51 to R 56 each represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted, with the proviso that at least one of R 11 to R 16 , at least one of R 21 to R 32 , at least one of R 41 to R 46 or at least one R 51 to R 56 is a fluorine atom; and n represents an integer of from 1 to 5.

12. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 8 , wherein the component (B) is (B1) a compound capable of generating an aliphatic or aromatic sulfonic acid by the action with one of an actinic ray and a radiation, in which the aliphatic or aromatic sulfonic acid contains at least one fluorine atom.

13. The positive-working resist composition according to claim 12 , further comprising (B2) a compound capable of generating a fluorine atom-free aliphatic or aromatic sulfonic acid, or an aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acid upon irradiation with one of an actinic ray and a radiation.