A method for forming a resist pattern, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a combination of a photosensitive element and a circuit-forming board, the combination comprising
- a circuit-forming board with a surface roughness (Ra) of less than 300 nm;
- a support film, wherein a support film haze is 0.01-1.5% and a total number of particles with diameters of 5 μm and larger and aggregates with diameters of 5 μm or larger in the support film is no greater than 5/mm2;
- and
- a photosensitive layer derived from a photosensitive resin composition formed on the support film that comprises,
- a binder polymer,
- a photopolymerizable compound with an ethylenically unsaturated bond, and
- a photopolymerization initiator that contains
- a 2,4,5-triarylimidazole dimer, and
- a pyrazoline compound represented by the following general formulas (XI) or (XII),
- wherein, in the formulas (XI) or (XII), R each independently represents a C1-12 straight-chain or branched alkyl group, a C1-10 straight-chain or branched alkoxy group or a halogen atom, a, b and c each independently represent an integer of 0 to 5, the total of a, b and c being between 1 and 6, and when the total of a, b and c is 2 or greater the multiple R groups may be the same or different,
- wherein the pyrazoline compound is 0.5 to 5.0 wt % based on a total amount of the 2,4,5-triarylimidazole dimer and the pyrazoline compound,
- and wherein the thickness T of the photosensitive layer and the absorbance A of the photosensitive layer at 365 nm satisfies the relationship represented by the following inequality (I):
- 0.001≦A/T≦0.020 (I)
- (b) laminating the photosensitive element on the circuit-forming board in the order of (1) the photosensitive layer, and then (2) the support film,
- wherein a surface of the circuit-forming board that is in contact with the photosensitive element has the surface roughness (Ra) of less than 300 nm;
- (c) exposing prescribed sections of the photosensitive layer to irradiation with active light rays through the support film and thereby photocuring the prescribed sections on the photosensitive layer;
- and
- (d) removing by developing the non-photocured sections of the photosensitive layer.