| abstract |
In a positive or negative resist composition, a resist composition having high sensitivity, low LWR and CDU, and excellent resolution, and a pattern forming method using the resist composition are provided. A sulfonium salt comprising an anion having a 2-acyl-1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane-1-sulfonate structure and a sulfonium cation represented by the formula (1b) or (1c). (In the formula, A represents an organic group containing a polymerizable group; R 1 to R 3 each independently may contain a halogen, nitro, cyano, or hetero atom, a linear / branched / cyclic C 1-20 hydrocarbon group; X is a single bond, O, NH, etc .; p, q ′ and r ′ are each independently an integer of 0 to 4; q and r are each independently an integer of 0 to 5) [Selection figure] None |