US 9,829,796 B2  190  189  particularly limited, and examples thereof can include  -COO-, ---OCO-, -CO-, ---0-, -S-, -SO-,  -SO$_{2}$ -,  an alkylene group, a cycloalkylene group, an  alkenylene group, and a connecting group obtained by  connecting a plurality of these, and a connecting group  having 12 or less total carbon atoms is preferable. Among  these, -COO-, -OCO-, -CO-, or  ---0- is prefer› able, and --COO- or ---OCO- is more preferable.  The cyclic organic group represented by A is not particu› larly limited as long as it has a ring structure, and examples 15  thereof include an alicyclic group, an aryl group, and a  heterocyclic group (which includes not only a heterocyclic  group having aromaticity but also a heterocyclic group  having no aromaticity).  The alicyclic group may be monocyclic or polycyclic, and  as the alicyclic group, a monocyclic cycloalkyl group such  as a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group, or a cyclooctyl  group, or polycyclic cycloalkyl groups such as a norbomyl  group, a tricyclodecanyl group, a tetracyclodecanyl group, a  tetracyclododecanyl group, or an adamantyl group is pref- erable. Among these, an alicyclic group with a bulky struc› ture having 7 or greater carbon atoms such as a norbomyl  group, a tricyclodecanyl group, a tetracyclodecanyl group, a  tetracyclododecanyl group, or an adamantyl group is pref› erable from the viewpoint of being capable of suppressing  in-film diffusibility in a heating step after exposure and  MEEF improvement.  Examples of the aryl group include a benzene ring, a  naphthalene ring, a phenanthrene ring, and an anthracene  ring.  Examples of the heterocyclic group include groups  derived from a furan ring, a thiophene ring, a benzofuran  ring, a benzothiophene ring, a dibenzofuran ring, a diben› zothiophene ring, and a pyridine ring. Among these, a group  derived from a furan ring, a thiophene ring, or a pyridine  ring is preferable.  In addition, as the cyclic organic group, a lactone structure  can also be exemplified, and specific examples thereof can  include the lactone structures represented by General For› mulas (LCl-1) to (LCl-17), which the resin (A) may have.  The above-describedcyclic organic group may has a sub› stituent, and regarding the substituent, the description in  paragraph "0251" ofJP2013-76991A can be referred to, and  the contents thereof are incorporated in the present specifi› cation.  Examples of the organic group represented by R$_{201}$ , R 202 ,  or R$_{203 }$ include an aryl group, an alkyl group, and a  cycloalkyl group.  Preferably, at least one of R$_{20}$ $^{i, R}$202, and R $_{203 }$is an aryl  group, and more preferably, all of three are aryl groups.  Regarding the aryl group, the alkyl group, and the cycloalkyl  group, the description in paragraph "0252" of JP2013- 76991A can be referred to, and the contents thereof are  incorporated in the present specification.  Regarding the structure represented by General Formula 60  (Al) in a case where two of R$_{201 }$to R$_{203 }$are bonded to each  other to form a ring structure, the description in paragraphs  "0253" to "0257" of JP2013-76991A can be referred to, and  the contents thereof are incorporated in the present specifi- cation.  65  Moreover, when at least one ofR$_{201}$, R 202 , and R $_{203 }$is not  an aryl group, examples of a preferable structure can include  cationic structures of compounds exemplified in paragraphs  "0046" to "0048" of JP2004-233661A, paragraphs "0040"  to "0046" of JP2003-35948A, and exemplified as Formulas  (I-1) to (I-70) in the specification ofUS2003/0224288A, and  compounds exemplified as Formulas (IA-1) to (IA-54), and  Formulas (IB-1) to (IB-24) in the specification ofUS2003/  0077540Al.  In General Formulas  (ZII)  and  (ZIII),  each ofR$_{204 }$to R$_{207 }$ independently represents an aryl group, an alkyl group, or a  cycloalkyl group.  The aryl group, the alkyl group, and the cycloalkyl group  represented by each ofR$_{204 }$to R$_{207 }$are the same as the aryl  group described as the aryl group, the alkyl group, and the  cycloalkyl group represented by each of R$_{201 }$ to R$_{203 }$in the  compound (ZI).  The aryl group, the alkyl group, and the cycloalkyl group  represented by each of R$_{204 }$to R$_{207 }$may have a substituent.  Examples of the substituent include the substituents that the  aryl group, the alkyl group, and the cycloalkyl group rep› resented by each ofR$^{201 }$to R$_{203 }$in the compound  (ZI)  may  have.  z- represents a non-nucleophilic anion, and as  z-,  the  same as the non-nucleophilic anion in General Formula  (ZI)  can be exemplified.  As the acid generator, the compounds represented by  General Formula  (ZIV), (ZV),  or  (ZVI)  described in para› graphs "0262" to "0264" of JP2013-76991A are also exem› plified.  Particularly preferable examples of the acid generator are  shown below.  (zl)  (Ot-s  CF3S03- 3  (z2)  (Qs  C4F9S03- 3  (z3)  CsCnSO;  3  (z4)  (Qs ~s  3  (z5)  (Qsw-cf  CF3  Each of R  1  and R  2  is preferably a fluorine atom or CF  3 .  xis preferably 1 to 10, and more preferably 1 to 5.  y is preferably 0 to 4, and more preferably 0.  z is preferably Oto 5, and more preferably 0 to 3.  The divalent connecting group represented by L is not 