Radiation-sensitive composition containing plasticizer

A radiation-sensitive composition comprising:

• (a) a binder insoluble in water but soluble in or capable of being swelled in an aqueous alkali solution;
• (b) at least one of a (b1) a crosslinking agent or (b2) a dissolution inhibitor composed of (b21) a poly(N,O-acetal) having the following formula (I):
• (--CHR.sup.3 --O--R.sup.4 --X--NR.sup.5 --).sub.p (I)
• wherein R.sup.3 stands for an alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, R.sup.4 stands for a divalent group selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group, a cycloalkylene group, an alkene group and an alkyne group, R.sup.5 stands for an alkyl group, an alkene group, an alkyne group or a cycloalkyl group, X stands for --OCO--, --CO-- or --NHCO--, and p is a number not less than 1, and/or (b22) a phenol compound having a hydroxyl group which is protected by a group which can be cleaved in the presence of an acid;
• (c) a photosensitive compound capable of generating an acid when exposed to an active radiation;
• (d) a base capable of being decomposed when exposed to an active radiation to form a neutral compound derived therefrom;
• (e) a plasticizer which comprises a compound of the following formula (II):
• ##STR4## wherein R stands for a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and n is a number of 1 or 2;
• and
• (f) a solvent.