Jan. 10, 2019  5  US 2019/0010119 Al  [0044]  When the component (B) contains the repeating  unit described above, it is possible to improve the exposure  durability to electron beam in etching or inspection of the  pattern.  [0045]  The present invention also provides a resist pat› terning process comprising the steps of:  [0046]  forming a resist film on a substrate to be processed  by using the resist composition of the present invention,  [0047]  pattern-exposure to a high energy beam, and  [0048]  developing by using an alkaline developer to give  a resist pattern.  [0049]  The resist patterning process using the inventive  resist composition described above is capable of forming a  pattern with higher resolution and decreased LER, etc. by  being exposed.  [0050]  It  is preferable to use an EUV or an electron beam  as the high energy beam.  [0051]  The inventive resist patterning process is particu› larly useful for forming a finer pattern in such a way that an  EUV or an electron beam is used.  [0052]  It  is preferable to use a substrate the top surface of  which is composed of a material containing chromium or  silicon as the substrate to be processed.  [0053]  The inventive resist patterning process is particu› larly useful for patterning a substrate having a surface of  material that is liable to occur pattern peel-off or pattern  collapse.  [0054]  It  is preferable to use a photomask blanks as the  substrate to be processed.  [0055]  The inventive resist patterning process is capable  of forming a pattern with higher resolution and decreased  LER by exposure even in the case of using a substrate made  from a material in which the top surface is liable to affect the  resist pattern profile such as a photomask blanks.  [0056]  As described above, the inventive resist composi› tion, having a sulfonium salt containing a specific partial  structure incorporated as a photo-acid generator, is a resist  composition that causes few defects and is excellent in  lithography performance such as LER, LWR, and CDU in  microprocessing  technologies,  particularly  lithography  using an electron beam or an EUV. The inventive resist  patterning process using the inventive resist composition  described above is particularly effective for forming a fine  pattern.  [0057]  FIG.  1  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-3;  [0058]  FIG.  2  is a diagram showing $^{19}$F-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-3;  [0059]  FIG.  3  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-4;  [0060]  FIG.  4  is a diagram showing $^{19}$F-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-4;  [0061]  FIG.  5  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-5;  wherein  R’a  and  R:11’  each independently represent a fluoro› alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;  Rxa  represents a  hydrogen atom or an acid-liable group;  Ra  and  Rb  each  independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent  hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms optionally  containing a hetero atom,  Ra  and  Rb  are optionally bonded  with each other to form a ring together with the carbon atom  to which  Ra  and  Rb  are bonded;A$^{1$_{a }$}$represents an ether bond  or a thioether bond; L  la  represents a single bond or a  divalent linking group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms option› ally containing a hetero atom; and  * represents a bonding  site;  [0072]  (B) a polymer compound containing a repeating  unit shown by the following general formula (Bl),  [0070]  (A) a sulfonium salt containing an anion and a  cation, the cation comprising:  [0071]  a partial structure shown by the following gen› eral formula (Al); and  [0069]  That is, the present invention is a resist composi› tion, comprising:  [0068]  To accomplish the object, the present inventors  have diligently studied on the resist material having a  sulfonium salt containing a specific partial structure in  which the cation contains a hexafluoroalcohol unit, for  example, used as a photo-acid generator, together with a  polymer compound containing a specific repeating unit(s)  used as a base polymer. The present inventors have conse› quently found that this resist material causes few defects and  is excellent in lithography performance such as LER, LWR,  and CDU, with the acid diffusion being regulated, and  accordingly, is extremely effective for fine microprocessing;  thereby bringing the present invention to completion.  [0067]  As described above, it has been desired to develop  a resist composition that causes few defects and is excellent  in lithography performance, having regulated acid diffusion,  in photolithography using a high energy beam as a light  source, and a resist patterning process using such a resist  composition.  [0066]  FIG.  10  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-8.  [0065]  FIG.  9  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-7;  [0064]  FIG.  8  is a diagram showing $^{19}$F-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-6;  [0063]  FIG.  7  is a diagram showing $^{1}$H-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-6;  [0062]  FIG.  6  is a diagram showing $^{19}$F-NMR spectrum  data of the sulfonium salt synthesized in Synthesis Example  1-5;  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  Advantageous Effects of Invention  BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  (Al)  r r  *-Lla_Ala110-RXa  Rb  Rfb 