40  US 9,069,246 B2  39  carbon number of 5 or more. The carbon number thereof is  preferably from 6 to 30, more preferably from 7 to 25.  Preferable cycloalkyl groups include, for example, an ada› mantyl group, a noradamantyl group, a decalinresidue group,  a tricyclodecanyl group, a tetracyclododecanyl group, a nor- bomyl group, a cedrol group, a cyclopentyl group, a cyclo› hexyl group, a cycloheptyl group, a cyclooctyl group, a cyclo› decanyl group, and a cyclododecanyl group. An adamantyl  group, a norbornyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a cyclopentyl  group, a tetracyclododecanyl group, and a tricyclodecanyl  group are more preferred.  These alkyl group and cycloalkyl group may have a sub› stituent. This substituent includes, for example, an alkyl  group (having a carbon number of 1 to 4), a halogen atom, a  hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group (having a carbon number of  1 to 4), a carboxyl group, and an alkoxycarbonyl group (hav› ing a carbon number of 2 to 6). These substituents may have  a further substituent. The further substituent includes, for  example, a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, and an alkoxy  group.  The structures represented by formulae (pl) to (p V) may be  used for the protection of an alkali-soluble group. The alkali› soluble group includes various groups known in this technical  field.  Specific examples thereof include structures where the  hydrogen atom of a carboxylic acid group, sulfonic acid  group, phenol group or thiol group is substituted by a struc› ture represented by formulae (pl) to (p V). A structure where  the hydrogen atom of a carboxylic acid group or sulfonic acid  group is substituted by a structure represented by formulae  (pl) to (p V) is preferred.  The repeating unit having an alkali-soluble group pro› tected by a structure represented by formulae (pl) to (p V) is  preferably a repeating unit represented by the following for- mula (pA):  In formula (pA), R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen  atom or a linear or branched alkyl group having from a carbon  number of 1 to 4, and each R may be the same as or different  from every other R.  A is selected from the group consisting of a single bond, an  alkylene group, an ether group, a thioether group, a carbonyl  group, an ester group, an amido group, a sulfonamide group,  a urethane group, a urea group, and a combination of two or  more thereof, and is preferably a single bond.  Rp$_{1 }$ is a group represented by any one of formulae (pl) to  (pV).  The repeating unit represented by formula (pA) is most  preferably a repeating unit composed of a 2-alkyl-2-adaman- tyl(meth)acrylate or a dialkyl(l-adamantyl)methyl(meth)  acrylate.  In the alicyclic hydrocarbon-based acid-decomposable  resin, the group capable of decomposing by an action of an  acid may be contained in at least one repeating unit out of a  repeating unit having an alicyclic hydrocarbon-containing  partial structure represented by formulae (pl) to (p V), a  repeating unit represented by formula (II-AB), and a repeat› ing unit composed of the later-described copolymerization  component.  The framework of the alicyclic hydrocarbon may have a  substituent, and the substituent includes, for example, R$_{13}$ ’  to  R$_{16}$ ’ in formulae (II-AB!) and (II-AB2).  Examples of the framework of the alicyclic hydrocarbon  formed are the same as those of the cycloalkyl group ofR$_{12 }$to  R$_{25 }$in formulae (pl) to (p VI).  The atomic group represented by  Z’ is an atomic group for  forming, in the resin, an alicyclic hydrocarbon repeating unit  that may have a substituent. The atomic group is preferably an  atomic group for forming a crosslinked alicyclic hydrocarbon  repeating unit.  The alkyl group as Ru’ or R$_{12}$’ is preferably a linear or  branched alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 to 10, and  examples thereof include a methyl group, an ethyl group, an  n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, and a linear or branched  butyl, pentyl, hexyl or heptyl group.  The halogen atom as Ru’ or R$_{12}$’ in formula (II-AB)  includes, for example, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a  fluorine atom, and an iodine atom.  In the structural formulae above, Rx represents  H, CH$_{3}$,  CF$_{3 }$ or  CH$_{2}$0H,  and each of Rxa and Rxb independently  represents an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 to 4.  [Chem. 20]  [Chem. 21]  Rxa  Rxb  2  (pA)  #  A710-Rp1  0 