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[0113] The alkyl group as Q is, for example, the same as the above-described alkyl group of R 41 and R 42 . 

[0114] The alicyclic group and aromatic ring group as Q include, for example, the above-described cycloalkyl group and aryl group ofR$^{41 }$and R 42 . The number of carbon atoms thereof is preferably 3 to 15. Incidentally, in the present invention, a group formed by combining plural aromatic rings through a single bond (for example, a biphenyl group and a terphenyl group) is also included in the aromatic group ofQ. 

[0115] Examples of the heteroatom-containing alicyclic group and heteroatom -containing aromatic ring group include thiirane, cyclothiolane, thiophene, furan, pyrrole, benzothiophene, benzofuran, benzopyrrole, triazine, imida› zole, benzimidazole, triazole, thiadiazole, thiazole, and pyr› rolidone. Incidentally, in the present invention, a group formed by combining plural "heteroatom-containing aro› matic rings" through a single bond (for example, a viologen group) is also included in the aromatic group of Q. 

[0116] The alicyclic group and aromatic ring group as Q may have a substituent, and examples thereof include an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a cyano group, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a carboxyl group, and an alkoxycarbonyl group. 

[0117] (-M$^{41}$-Q) is particularly preferably a methyl group, an aryloxyethyl group, a cyclohexylethyl group, or an ary› lethyl group. 

[0118] Examples of the case where at least two members ofR 41 , R 42 , M 41 , and Qare bonded to each other to form a ring include a case where either M$^{41 }$or Q is bonded with R 41 to form a propylene group or a butylene group and thereby form a 5- or 6-membered ring containing an oxygen atom. 

[0119] With the total number of carbon atoms ofR 41 , R 42 , M 41 , and Q being expressed as N O in the case where N c has a large value, a change in an alkali dissolution rate of the polymer compound (A) before and after leaving of the group represented by General Formula (VI) is increased, and therefore the contrast of dissolution is preferably improved. The range of the value of Ne is preferably 4 to 30, more preferably 7 to 25, and particularly preferably 7 to 20. When the value of N c is 30 or less, lowering of a glass transition temperature of the polymer compound (A) is prevented, and therefore the deterioration of exposure latitude (EL) of a resist film, or the remaining of residues resulting from leaving of a group represented by General Formula (VI) as a defect on the resist pattern are preferably inhibited. 

[0120] In view of dry etching resistance, at least one of R 41 , R 42 , M 41 , or Q preferably has an alicyclic or aromatic ring. Here, the alicyclic group and the aromatic ring group are the same, for example, as the above-described alicyclic group and aromatic ring group of Q. 

[0121] As the repeating unit capable of decomposing by the action of an acid to generate an alkali-soluble group, a repeating unit represented by General Formula (VII) is also preferred. In the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, the repeating unit represented by General Formula (VII) is a repeating unit capable of decomposing by the action of an acid to generate a carboxyl group as an alkali-soluble group in the side chain. 

[0122] In General Formula (VII), R$^{21 }$represents a hydro› gen atom or a methyl group, L represents a single bond or a divalent linking group, and Y $^{2 }$represents a group capable of leaving by the action of an acid. 

[0123] With respect to the repeating unit represented by General Formula (VII), preferred compounds for use in the present invention are described below. 

[0124] In General Formula (VII), R$^{21 }$represents a hydro› gen atom or a methyl group and is particularly preferably a hydrogen atom. 

[0125] In the case where L is a divalent linking group, examples thereof include an alkylene group, a cycloalkylene group, an arylene group, ---0-, -SO$_{2}$ -, --CO-, -N(RN)-, and a combination of plural these members. Here. RN represents an aryl group, an alkyl group, or a cycloalkyl group. 

[0126] The alkylene group as L is preferably an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a methylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, butylene group, a hexylene group, and an octylene group. 

[0127] The cycloalkylene group as L is preferably a cycloalkylene group having 5 to 10 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a cyclopentylene group and a cyclohexylene group. 

[0128] The arylene group as L is preferably an arylene group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a phenylene group and a naphthylene group. 

[0129] The number of carbon atoms in the aryl group as RN is preferably 4 to 20, and more preferably 6 to 14. Examples of the aryl group include a phenyl group and a naphthyl group. 

[0130] The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group as RN is preferably 1 to 8. Examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, a butyl group, a hexyl group, and an octyl group. 

[0131] The number of carbon atoms in the cycloalkyl group as RN is preferably 5 to 8. Examples of the cycloalkyl group include a cyclopentyl group and a cyclohexyl group. 

[0132] Each of the groups of L may further have a substituent, and specific examples of the substituent are the same as those of the substituent which may be further substituted on the arylene group of Ar 11 . 2 

[0133] Y represents a group capable of leaving by the action of an acid and specifically, is preferably a group represented by the following formula. 

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(VII) 

