Immersion exposure process-use resist protection film forming material, composite film, and resist pattern forming method

A composite film for use in a liquid immersion lithography process,

• the composite film comprising a protective film and a resist film,
• wherein the protective film has the following properties:
• being transparent with respect to exposure light;
• having substantially no compatibility with a liquid for liquid immersion lithography;
• and
• causing no mixing with the resist film, and
• wherein the protective film is formed on the resist film.

A method for forming a resist pattern using a liquid immersion lithography process, the method comprising:

• forming a photoresist film on a substrate;
• forming, on the resist film, a protective film having the following properties of:
• being transparent with respect to exposure light, having substantially no compatibility with a liquid for liquid immersion lithography, and causing no mixing with the resist film;
• directly placing the liquid for liquid immersion lithography having a predetermined thickness at least on the protective film on the substrate having the resist film and the protective film stacked thereon;
• selectively irradiating the resist film with light through the liquid for liquid immersion lithography and the protective film, and optionally subjecting the resultant resist film to heat treatment;
• removing the protective film from the resist film irradiated;
• and
• developing the resist film from which the protective film is removed to obtain a resist pattern.