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Z$_{1 }$represents a moiety that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, is converted to a sulfonate group. 

It is preferred for the moiety represented by Z$_{1 }$ to be an onium salt. The onium salt is preferably a sulfonium salt or an iodonium salt. The onium salt preferably has the structure of general formula (ZI) or (ZII) below. 

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In the above general formula (ZI), 

each of R$_{201}$ , R $_{202 }$and R$_{203 }$ independently represents an organic group. 

The number of carbon atoms of the organic group repre› sented by R$_{20}$ i, R$_{202 }$and R$_{203 }$is generally in the range of 1 to 30, preferably 1 to 20. 

Two of R$_{201 }$ to R$_{203 }$ may be bonded with each other to thereby form a ring structure (including a condensed ring), and the ring within the same may contain an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, an ester bond, an amido bond or a carbonyl group.As the group formed by bonding of two ofR$_{201 }$to R$_{203}$, there can be mentioned an alkylene group (for example, a butylene group or a pentylene group). 

The compounds (ZI-1) are arylsulfonium compounds of the general formula (ZI) wherein at least one ofR$_{201 }$to R$_{203 }$ is an aryl group, namely, compounds containing an arylsul› fonium as a cation. 

In the arylsulfonium compounds, all of the R$_{201 }$ to R$_{203 }$ may be aryl groups. It is also appropriate that the R$_{201 }$to R$_{203 }$ are partially an aryl group and the remainder is an alkyl group or a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon ring group. 

As the arylsulfonium compounds, there can be mentioned, for example, a triarylsulfonium compound, a diarylalkylsul› fonium compound, an aryldialkylsulfonium compound, a diarylcycloalkylsulfonium compound and an aryldicy› cloalkylsulfonium compound. 

The aryl group of the arylsulfonium compounds is prefer› ably a phenyl group or a naphthyl group, more preferably a phenyl group. The aryl group may be one having a heterocy› clic structure containing an oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, sulfur atom or the like. As the heterocyclic structure, there can be mentioned, for example, a pyrrole, a furan, a thiophene, an indole, a benzofuran, a benzothiophene or the like. 

When the arylsulfonium compound has two or more aryl groups, the two or more aryl groups may be identical to or different from each other. 

The alkyl group or monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon ring group contained in the ary lsulfonium compound according to necessity is preferably a linear or branched alkyl group hav› ing 1 to 15 carbon atoms or a monovalent aliphatic hydrocar› bon ring group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms. As such, there can be mentioned, for example, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an n-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, a t-butyl group, a cyclopropyl group, a cyclobutyl group, a cyclohexyl group or the like. 

The aryl group, alkyl group or monovalent aliphatic hydro› carbon ring group represented by R$_{201 }$to R$_{203 }$may have as its substituent an alkyl group (for example, 1 to 15 carbon atoms), a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon ring group (for example, 3 to 15 carbon atoms), an aryl group (for example, 6 to 14 carbon atoms), an alkoxy group (for example, 1 to 15 carbon atoms), a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a phe› nylthio group. Preferred substituents are a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, monovalent ali› phatic hydrocarbon ring group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms and a linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms. More preferred substituents are an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The substituents may be contained in any one of the three R$_{201 }$to R$_{203}$, or alternatively may be contained in all three ofR$_{201 }$to R$_{203}$. When R$_{201 }$to R$_{203 }$represent an aryl group, the substituent 

As one aspect of groups of (ZI-1 ), there can be mentioned the structure of general formula (ZI-lA) below. 

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