Positive resist composition and method for producing microlens

1. A positive resist composition comprising:

a component (A): an alkali-soluble polymer;

a component (B): a compound having an organic group to be photolyzed to generate an alkali-soluble group;

a component (C): a crosslinkable compound of Formula (1):

where:

R 1 , R 2 , and, R 3 are independently a C 1-6 alkylene group or oxyalkylene group which are optionally branched; and

E l , E 2 , and E 3 are independently a group containing a structure of Formula (2) Formula (3), or Formula (7):

where R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and

a component (D): a solvent.

2. The positive resist composition according to claim 1 ,

wherein the alkali-soluble polymer as the component (A) is a polymer comprising a repeating unit that contains a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, or a combination thereof.

3. The positive resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein the alkali-soluble polymer as the component (A) is a copolymer of a monomer having a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, or a combination thereof with a monomer having a hydrophobic group.

4. The positive resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein the component (B) is a compound having a structure of Formula (4):

where:

R 5 is a hydrogen atom or a structure of Formula (5):

where:

R 7 is a single bond or a —SO 3 — group;

R 8 is a C 1-10 alkyl group; and

m4 is an integer of 0 to 3;

R 6 is a C 1-10 substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a halogen atom, or a C 1-10 alkoxy group; and

m3 is an integer of 0 or 1, where when m3 is 0, m1 is an integer of 1 to 5 and m2 is an integer satisfying 0≦m2≦(5-m1), and when m3 is 1, m1 is an integer of 1 to 7 and m2 is an integer satisfying 0≦m2≦(7-m1);

with the proviso that R 5 is a structure of Formula (5) in an amount of 10 to 100% by mol, based on a total number of moles of the substituent R 5 contained in the compound having a structure of Formula (4).

5. The positive resist composition according to claim 4 , wherein the component (B) is a compound of Formula (6):

where:

R 5 and R 6 are individually the same group as those defined in the above Formula (4);

R 7 is a hydrogen atom or a C 1-10 alkyl group;

m5 is an integer of 0 to 10;

m6 is an integer of 1 to 5;

m7 is an integer satisfying 0≦m7≦(5-m6);

m8 is an integer of 0 to 1;

m9 is an integer of 0 to 5; and

m10 is an integer satisfying 0≦m10≦(5-m8-m9);

with the proviso that R 5 is a structure of Formula (5) in an amount of 10 to 100% by mol, based on the total number of moles of the substituent R 5 contained in the compound of Formula (6).

6. The positive resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the crosslinkable compound as the component (C), E 1 , E 2 , and E 3 are independently a group containing a structure of Formula (2) or Formula (3).

7. The positive resist composition according to claim 1 , wherein the positive resist composition, when formed into a composition film having a thickness of 1.0 μM, has a coating film physical property of 80% or more that is a transmittance relative to light having a wavelength of 400 to 730 nm.

8. A pattern forming method comprising:

applying the positive resist composition as claimed in claim 1 on a substrate; and

subjecting the resultant coating to drying, exposure, and development.

9. The pattern forming method according to claim 8 , comprising a heating process after exposure and before development.

10. A solid-state image sensor comprising a microlens or a planarizing film produced by the pattern forming method as claimed in claim 8 .