Patent ID: 6933100

Claim:
A method of forming a minute resist pattern, comprising forming a coating of a positive photoresist composition containing a quinone diazide group-containing photosensitizer in an amount of 3 to 15 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of alkali-soluble novolak resin, imagewise exposing the photoresist coating, and developing the photoresist coating using a developer consisting essentially of 2.2 % by weight or less aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide represented by the general formula (1): [(R 1 ) 3 N—R 2 ] + OH − (1) wherein R 1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R 2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a hydroxy-substituted alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; furthermore where the alkali-soluble novolak resin consists essentially of the reaction product of at least one aldehyde with compounds selected from a group consisting of monohydroxybenzene, substituted monohydroxybenzenes, naphthols and mixtures thereof.