Negative resist composition, patterning process, and testing process and preparation process of negative resist composition

Abstract

There is disclosed a negative resist composition comprising at least (A) a base resin that is alkaline-soluble and is made alkaline-insoluble by action of an acid, and/or a combination of a base resin that is alkaline-soluble and is made alkaline-insoluble by reaction with a crosslinker by action of an acid, with a crosslinker, (B) an acid generator, and (C) a compound containing a nitrogen as a basic component, and forming a resist film having the film thickness X (nm) of 50 to 100 nm, wherein, in the case that the resist film is formed from the negative resist composition under the film-forming conditions for the pattern formation, a dissolution rate of the resist film into the alkaline developer used in the development treatment for the pattern formation is 0.0333X−1.0 (nm/second) or more and 0.0667X−1.6 (nm/second) or less. There can be a negative resist composition having excellent etching resistance and resolution and giving a good pattern profile even at the substrate's interface, a patterning process using the same, and a testing process and a preparation process of this negative resist composition.