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Moreover, the hydrophobic resin (HR) may have at least one group selected from among the following groups (x) to (z): 

(x) an alkali soluble group, 

(y) a group that is decomposed by the action of an alkali developer, resulting in an increase of solubility in the alkali developer, and 

(z) a group that is decomposed by the action of an acid. 

As the alkali soluble group (x), there can be mentioned a phenolic hydroxyl group, a carboxylate group, a fluoroalco› hol group, a sulfonate group, a sulfonamido group, a sulfa- nylimido group, an (alkylsulfonyl)(alkylcarbonyl)methylene group, an (alkylsulfonyl)(alkylcarbonyl)imido group, a bis (alkylcarbonyl)methylene group, a bis(alkylcarbonyl)imido group, a bis(alkylsulfonyl)methylene group, a bis(alkylsulfo› nyl)imido group, a tris(alkylcarbonyl)methylene group, a tris (alkylsulfonyl)methylene group and the like. 

As preferred alkali soluble groups, there can be mentioned a fluoroalcohol group (preferably hexafluoroisopropanol), a sulfonimido group and a bis(carbonyl)methylene group. 

As the repeating unit having an alkali soluble group (x), preferred use is made of any of a repeating unit resulting from direct bonding of an alkali soluble group to the principal chain of a resin like a repeating unit of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, a repeating unit resulting from bonding, via a connect› ing group, of an alkali soluble group to the principal chain of a resin and a repeating unit resulting from polymerization with the use of a chain transfer agent or polymerization ini- 

tiator having an alkali soluble group to thereby introduce the same in a polymer chain terminal. 

The content of repeating units having an alkali soluble group (x) is preferably in the range of 1 to 50 mo! %, more preferably 3 to 35 mo!% and still more preferably 5 to 20 mo! % based on all the repeating units of the polymer. 

Specific examples of the repeating units having an alkali soluble group (x) will be shown below, which however in no way limit the scope of the present invention. 

In the formulae, Rx represents H, CH$_{3}$ , CF$_{3 }$ or CH$_{2}$OH. 

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