| abstract |
A copolymer for use in applications such as a coating material and a resist; and a resist composition containing the copolymer. The copolymer is obtained by polymerizing at least a monomer having an alicyclic skeleton and a monomer having a lactone skeleton and is characterized by having such a distribution of the content of units derived from the monomer having a lactone skeleton in the copolymer that the content thereof is distributed within ±10 mol % based on the average content of the units in the whole copolymer. The copolymer may be one which is obtained by polymerizing a monomer having an alicyclic skeleton, a monomer having a lactone skeleton, and other vinyl monomer and is characterized in that the vinyl monomer has a polarity higher than that of the monomer having an alicyclic skeleton and lower than that of the monomer having a lactone skeleton. The copolymer is excellent in adhesion to highly polar surfaces, such as metal surfaces, and in hydrophobicity and heat resistance and has satisfactory solubility in solvents for coating materials, resists, etc. |