content_image/940456.jpg content_image/940466.jpg content_image/940457.jpg content_image/940467.jpg
in which 

Xa represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group, and 

Rx represents a hydrogen atom or a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby be cleaved. 

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resin (A) contains neither any aromatic group containing a phenolic hydroxyl group nor any aromatic group containing a phenolic hydroxyl group whose hydrogen atom is replaced by a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby be cleaved. 

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the developer is a developer comprising at least one organic solvent selected from among a ketone solvent, an ester solvent, an alcohol solvent, an amide solvent and an ether solvent. 

8. An actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition for use in the method according to claim 1. 

9. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 8, comprising a resin (A) comprising a repeating unit containing a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby produce a polar group and comprising an aromatic group, which resin when acted on by an acid, decreases its solubility in an organic solvent, a non› ionic compound (B) that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, generates an acid and a solvent (C). 

10. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi› tion according to claim 8, wherein the repeating unit contain› ing a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby produce a polar group, contained in the resin (A) is expressed by general formula (I) below, 

in which 

Ra represents a hydrogen atom or a linearor branched alkyl group optionally substituted with a fluorine atom or a hydroxyl group, and 

each of R$_{1}$ , R$_{2 }$ and R$_{3 }$ independently represents an optionally substituted linear or branched alkyl group or an optionally substituted cycloalkyl group, pro› vided that any two ofR$_{1}$ , R$_{2 }$ andR$_{3 }$ maybe bonded to each other to thereby form a monocyclic or polycyclic structure. 

11. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi› tion according to claim 8, wherein a repeating unit containing the aromatic group contained in the resin (A) is expressed by general formula (II) below, 

<img src='content_image/940456.jpg'>

<img src='content_image/940466.jpg'>

in which 

R$_{0 }$ represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group optionally substituted with a fluorine atom or a hydroxyl group, 

X represents a single bond or a bivalent connecting group, 

Ar represents an optionally substituted aromatic group, provided that when a substituent is introduced in the aromatic group, the substituent is any of an alkyl group ( optionally substituted), a cycloalkyl group ( optionally substituted), an aryl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group and a carboxyl group, 

R$_{4 }$represents an optionally substituted alkylene group, and n is an integer of O to 4. 

12. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi› tion according to claim 11, wherein in general formula (II), X is -COO- or ----CONH-. 

13. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi› tion according to claim 8, wherein the content of any of repeating units of general formula (III) below contained in the resin (A) is up to 20 mo!% based on all the repeating units of the resin (A), 

in which 

Xa represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group, and 

Rx represents a hydrogen atom or a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby be cleaved. 

14. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi› tion according to claim 8, wherein the resin (A) contains neither any aromatic group containing a phenolic hydroxyl group nor any aromatic group containing a phenolic hydroxyl group whose hydrogen atom is replaced by a group that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby be cleaved. 

15. An actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive film formed from the actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to claim 8. 

16. A process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the method according to claim 1. 

17. A semiconductor device manufactured by the process of claim 16. 

18. The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composi- tion according to claim 11, wherein X represents a single bond and/or n is an integer of 1 to 4. 

<img src='content_image/940457.jpg'>

<img src='content_image/940467.jpg'>

* * * * * 

